Zhan Chun

Kapitel 68

Hearing the resentment in her words, Xiao Yuan feared she would bring it up against He Yaohong, so she didn't reply. Instead, she instructed a maid to bring Rui Niang over for tea. Rui Niang, covered in sweat, ran into Xiao Yuan's arms, drank a couple of sips of water from her hand, and then turned to go play again. Xiao Yuan stopped her, touched her back, and found it was covered in sweat. She quickly ordered someone to bring a dry towel to cover her back before letting her go.

Seeing that Rui Niang was running fast, Li Wu Niang took a closer look and realized that she had unbound feet. She asked in surprise, "You bound the feet that shouldn't have been bound, but not the ones that should have been bound. Aren't you afraid she won't be able to find a husband in the future?" Xiao Yuan looked under her skirt and asked with a smile, "Third Sister-in-law, have you ever bound your feet?" Li Wu Niang said, "I'm different from you. My family has been in business for generations, and no one has ever become an official. Daughters of merchants help with the business from a young age. What's the point of binding feet? By the time my brothers in the clan all become officials, I'll have missed the age for foot binding." Xiao Yuan looked at the children playing in the distance and asked, "I didn't look closely just now. Did you bind your daughter's feet?" Li Wu Niang said, "No, I've already betrothed her to a merchant family in Quanzhou, so she won't cry and wail from foot pain." As she spoke, she laughed to herself, "You wouldn't be planning to do the same, would you?" Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "Our family is a merchant family now. It's a good match for her to find a merchant family."

Li Wuniang personally took the pot and poured her a cup of wine, saying, "I was confused. In Lin'an, as long as you have a good dowry, no matter how big your feet are, people will fight to marry you." Xiao Yuan clinked glasses with her, then took a piece of fruit and ate it, saying, "Ruiniang is still young, so I don't need to worry about her much. But my sons are all grown up, and I'm not sure about them."

Li Wuniang knew what she was worried about and smiled, "Do you want to get to know some families who have daughters? That's not difficult at all. Just organize a Gengshen Gathering." When she was in Quanzhou, those officials' wives were bored at home and worried about having nowhere to show off their wealth. So they took turns hosting the "Gengshen Gathering," also known as the "Treasure Competition Gathering." Whenever the gathering was held, they would bring their daughters, dressed in their best clothes and wearing their best jewelry, to the host's house to compete in beauty and show off, afraid of being outdone.

Xiao Yuan thought for a moment and understood. Although it was not as expensive to transport goods by boat as it was in Lin'an, the dowry was still important in Quanzhou. The "treasure contest" could indirectly show how much wealth a family had. While comparing, they could also choose a suitable daughter-in-law to bring home.

Seeing the corners of her mouth curl up, Li Wuniang guessed that she was tempted, so she said, "Your third brother is now an official in the capital, and there are many people who want to get close to our family. Why don't I put on a show first so that you can learn from him?" Xiaoyuan thought for a moment and said, "Then I will trouble you, Third Sister-in-law. However, the amount of dowry is secondary. The key is that the family tradition must be upright."

Li Wuniang nodded, took a plate of wine and fruit for her, and told her some interesting stories about Quanzhou. Xiao Yuan also told her about the changes in Lin'an in recent years.

The two were chatting happily when the concubines by the curtain wall, having stood for a long time, began to groan and groan. Xiao Yuan glanced at Li Wu Niang a few times, intending to remind her to let the concubines rest for a while, but Li Wu Niang misunderstood and scolded the concubines, "What are you shouting about? You're disturbing the guests."

The concubines disregarded the rules and called out, hoping to remind Li Wuniang to let them sit for a while. However, not only did they fail, but they also received a scolding. Some of them were indignant and pouted.

Li Wuniang pretended not to see anything and continued chatting with Xiaoyuan. Just as she was getting a little tipsy, she suddenly heard a gasp from the curtained wall. Turning around, she saw that Su Niang's birth mother, who was frail and couldn't stand for long, had fainted. The other concubines didn't dare to move, only glancing at Li Wuniang. Li Wuniang frowned and said, "What's wrong? Take her aside to rest for a while, and pinching her philtrum will make her better."

Unexpectedly, after everyone struggled for a while and pinched her philtrum until it was red and swollen, she still did not wake up. Li Wuniang had no choice but to send someone to the city to fetch a doctor.

Despite the commotion outside, He Yaohong remained silent. Xiaoyuan said to Li Wuniang, "Third Brother is quite composed." Li Wuniang replied, "He's doing this because of you. He doesn't want to appear to favor his concubine over his wife in front of Erlang, lest he corrupt him. So he pretends not to know. If this were at home, he would have come out and started arguing with me long ago."

She spoke these words with an air of nonchalance, as if she were talking about someone else's affairs. Xiao Yuan didn't know whether she was doing better or worse than before. She sighed inwardly. When it comes to marriage, outsiders can't see the details; only the person experiencing it knows the joys and sorrows.

On the grass, Wu Ge, who had practiced martial arts, taught his cousins from the He family a few moves and quickly became their leader; on the other side, two girls were playing shuttlecock, which made Cheng Si Niang very envious.

Before long, the doctor got up, took Su Niang's birth mother's pulse, and congratulated Li Wu Niang, saying, "She is pregnant." As soon as he finished speaking, He Yao Hong rushed out, grabbed Su Niang's birth mother's hand, and called out repeatedly, "Hua Zhi, Hua Zhi."

His voice was like a magic potion. Su Niang's birth mother, Hua Zhi, who had been unconscious even after being pinched hard on the philtrum, opened her eyes slowly upon hearing his call and threw herself into his arms, crying, "I thought I would never see you again."

This act was so fake, but He Yaohong fell for it. He bent down, picked her up, and walked towards the outside of the curtained wall, giving Li Wuniang a fierce glare along the way. Xiao Yuan was worried about Li Wuniang, but Li Wuniang comforted her, saying, "It's alright. My relationship with him is already bad enough. It can't get any worse."

He Yaohong, now an official, had a bad temper. He only sent someone to inform Cheng Mutian and Xiaoyuan, and then ignored Li Wuniang completely, taking Huazhi with him and driving home.

Li Wuniang stared at the two ruts on the road, gritting her teeth in hatred: "You wretch! You said you could never have children again, but you just conspired with the doctor to deceive me!" Xiao Yuan watched this scene coldly and realized that He Yaohong knew about Huazhi's deception of Li Wuniang; only Li Wuniang was kept in the dark. She couldn't help but feel sorry for Li Wuniang, comforting her, helping her into the carriage, and taking her home. She also advised He Yaohong not to quarrel with his wife over a concubine.

On the way home, Cheng Mutian teased her, "You've wasted your breath again. Don't you know your third brother's temperament? He agrees to everything, but he does things his own way. Who knows what kind of fight they'll have at home if we leave?" Xiaoyuan smiled bitterly, "I know that too, but we can't stay any longer. It's their business to resolve their own issues."

The children, clearly not yet finished playing, were brought back, each pouting as they entered. Xiao Yuan chuckled, "You little men, if you ever take a bunch of concubines, this is the kind of trouble you'll face." The boys stuck out their tongues and ran back to their courtyard to continue playing. Rui Niang, carried by Cheng Mutian, was still young and prone to sleepiness; her head rested on his shoulder as she dozed off. Xiao Yuan quickly took her, patted her a few times, and handed her to the wet nurse to take to her room to rest.

Cheng Mutian yawned a few times, and seeing that no one was around, he put his arm around Xiaoyuan and said, "We got up too early today to make up for lost time, let's go catch up on some sleep." Xiaoyuan followed him into the house, saying, "Catch up on sleep, but don't do anything naughty." Cheng Mutian was aroused by her words, so he simply picked her up and threw her onto the bed, saying, "Let me show you that I'm not old at all."

He displayed his prowess in bed until Xiao Yuan begged for mercy, hugging him and whispering in his ear, "My lord, your skills are still sharp."

The two lingered until dark. When they changed their clothes and went to the dining room, the children were eagerly waiting for dinner, their faces clearly showing hunger. Xiao Yuan blushed, reached behind Cheng Mutian, and pinched him hard. Cheng Mutian endured the pain, his expression calm: "I'm getting old after all. After a day out, I'm not feeling well."

Xiao Yuan was sitting down in a chair when she heard this, and her foot tripped over the chair leg, almost causing her to fall. Cheng Mutian glanced at her and said, "My wife is getting old." Xiao Yuan chuckled quietly while eating, never knowing that he was such a vengeful person. A careless remark on the Lantern Festival had made him hold a grudge until now.

After dinner, the children, knowing they had school the next day, went to bed early. Xiao Yuan sat under the lamp, one watching the inner tent and the other the outer, while Cheng Mutian watched the outer tent. She casually called to A Cai, asking her to take a few jars of the newly brewed wine from the estate to He Yaohong. Who delivers wine so late at night? A Cai knew this was just an excuse to check on things at the He family's house. So she picked out two small, exquisitely packaged jars of the new wine, carrying one in each hand, and went to the He family to deliver the gifts.

She had chosen two small jars because she wanted to deliver them herself and take the opportunity to visit the courtyard of the third branch of the He family so she could report back to Xiaoyuan. However, when she arrived at the He family's gate, she realized it was unnecessary—the gate was crowded with onlookers, all discussing the matter of "the third young mistress of the He family killing someone." Acai was shocked. How could someone have died in just half a day? She didn't rush in but first inquired with the onlookers. It turned out that when Li Wuniang returned home, He Yaohong disliked her intensely, accusing her of being jealous and ruthless, and of deliberately trying to harm the He family's offspring.

Li Wuniang had no intention of doing this, but hearing his slanderous remarks only fueled her anger. She thought to herself, "Since I'm already being framed, I might as well make a big scene." So she added some ingredients to the ginseng soup that Huazhi was making in the kitchen, causing Huazhi and her unborn child to die.

It is said that He Yaohong was holding a flower branch and grieving, heartbroken for his child who died before he even met him. Li Wuniang stood at the door and said coldly, "Now you know, it's easy for me to take your life. Your five sons were born because of my magnanimity. Don't try to frame me so easily in the future."

Li Wuniang confessed to killing someone, which didn't surprise Acai at all. She was just a concubine; a little money could have settled it. But why was she attracting so many onlookers? An old woman noticed her confusion and pointed to the wide-open gate of the He family's house, saying, "Madam Jiang is using this incident to divorce her husband. Young Master He also had this plan and had even written the divorce papers. But after hearing his stepmother say the same thing, he didn't want to give in to her wishes and instead put the divorce papers away. Now the He family is in chaos. Young Master He and his wife are arguing with each other, and they've joined forces to argue with Madam Jiang. There's also Old Master He adding fuel to the fire and Old Master He trying to break up the fight, jumping up and down in frustration."

The old woman was right. In the courtyard of the third branch of the He family, He Yaohong and his wife were arguing behind closed doors. He Yaohong smashed a tea cake container and roared, "Li Wuniang, don't push your luck! I pretended not to know that you sold my people before, but now you've gone so far as to kill my son right in front of me!"

Li Wuniang sneered, "You know it's in person? Look at the state of your marriage, you can't even protect her in front of her, what are you arguing with me for? If you're so capable, divorce me and we'll both have some peace and quiet." He Yaohong cursed, "Don't push me too far, do you think I wouldn't dare? The divorce papers are right there in the cabinet." Li Wuniang laughed, "Go get them, I'll put my fingerprint on them without a word."

He Yaohong was merely bluffing; he had no intention of divorcing his wife, so he fell silent. Madam Jiang, however, was excited and called out through the door, "Sanlang, what's the point of keeping a woman like that? Divorce her immediately, and I'll find you a better one." He Yaohong remained silent, but a thought formed in his mind. His stepmother had never called him "Sanlang" so affectionately, nor had she ever referred to herself as "Mother." If it weren't for his current official success, would anyone in this family respect him? Even if he wanted to divorce his wife, it couldn't be now; he absolutely couldn't give in to their wishes. Having made up his mind, he said to Li Wuniang, "Didn't we agree not to argue anymore? Why are we arguing again? Don't just stand there; get the money and settle this matter tonight. Otherwise, when I go out tomorrow morning, my colleagues will laugh at me."

Regardless, the matter of the poisoning death still needed to be resolved. Li Wuniang temporarily calmed down, opened the chest, took out some money, counted out a few bills, and handed them to He Yaohong. When He Yaohong saw that she had taken his dowry money, his anger subsided a bit. As he opened the door and walked out, he said to her with concern, "Rest early and don't pay any attention to Madam. I'll come back after I finish my business."

As he stepped out the door, Madam Jiang tried to pull him back, but he stopped, bowed respectfully, and said, "Madam, if this matter is not handled properly, it may affect my career." Now that the He family has fallen on hard times, they are counting on He Yaohong. Upon hearing this, Madam Jiang dared not stop him any longer and let him go. Instead, she went to find Li Wuniang, making veiled threats and claiming that she wanted to divorce her.

Li Wuniang had no desire to argue with her. She said calmly, "If you have the guts, then bring me the divorce papers. I've had enough of this all these years. Who cares about your He family's wretched title of daughter-in-law?"

Chapter 208 The Gengshen Meeting

Xiao Yuan was shocked when she heard A Cai's report. Both of Li Wu Niang's concubines had given birth to sons, and all Li Wu Niang had done was sell them off. How could she be so ruthless now, taking two lives with a single stroke? Cheng Mu Tian didn't seem to care much; it was perfectly normal for a wife to kill a concubine. Xiao Yuan had seen many such cases, but observing others' situations was completely different from observing her own third brother's. Compared to the concubine who died a violent death, Li Wu Niang was also a pitiful person. If she hadn't been driven to desperation, why would she have risked being divorced to take action?

She was worried about Li Wuniang and her husband, but fortunately, things were relatively peaceful at the He family's place in the following days, so she gradually felt relieved.

On this day, Li Wuniang sent her an invitation to attend the Gengshen Gathering.

A-Cai gave her a short, cherry-colored gold blouse and a yellow silk skirt with silver embroidery, and adorned her hair with pearls and jade. She then brought a mirror for her to see. Xiao-Yuan scolded, "You look like a vixen!" A-Cai laughed, "Other ladies dress like this. If you, young mistress, are too shabby, how will anyone betroth their daughter to Wu-ge?" Xiao-Yuan put the gold hairpin she had pulled out back in and said helplessly, "Fine, for my son's sake, I'll sacrifice myself this time."

Ah Cai didn't understand the meaning of "sacrifice," so she put a plastic flower ornament on her and helped her into the sedan chair.

Inside the He family's third house, all the guests had arrived. A concubine led Xiao Yuan to her seat and served her tea. Li Wu Niang introduced the ladies to her one by one: the one wearing the brocade robe with a hundred flowers was Madam Tang; the one wearing the silk robe with a dark pattern of clouds and geese was Madam Zhang; and several others were Li Wu Niang's relatives. Xiao Yuan carefully observed them. The ladies in front of her were all dressed exactly like her, all brightly colored. However, Madam Zhang was very plain. Although she wore fine fabrics, the colors were not vibrant, and she only wore a few jade hairpins in her hair.

Xiao Yuan secretly regretted listening to A Cai and dressing up like a flamboyant butterfly, only to be outshone by Madam Zhang. While she thought this, others had a different opinion. One of the Li family's sisters-in-law leaned closer and whispered, "The Gengshen Gathering is a treasure-hunting competition. What's the point of her dressing up so pretentiously? If she's so capable, she shouldn't come." Madam Tang also joined in, her tone rather sour: "She comes from a scholarly family; naturally, she's different from us merchant wives."

It turns out that whether one's attire is tacky or not is secondary; the key is not to stand out from the crowd. Xiao Yuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although she disliked her outfit, she didn't want to be ostracized.

Li Wuniang also disliked Madam Zhang, but as the hostess, she couldn't show favoritism. So she said to Xiaoyuan, "Do you know who this Madam Zhang is? Your Wu-ge and Chen-ge should call her 'Master's Wife' when they see her." Madam Zhang didn't mince words and nodded slightly. It turned out she was the wife of the headmaster of Qiantang Academy. Xiaoyuan quickly stepped forward to greet her and chatted with her. She remembered Wu-ge mentioning that the headmaster's wife's daughter loved writing lyrics. If the daughter was like that, then the mother must also be refined. She recalled the collections of lyrics she had read and took out some lines to discuss with Madam Zhang.

A flicker of surprise crossed Madam Zhang's eyes. She hadn't expected someone dressed so crudely to be knowledgeable in poetry. Scholars were often straightforward, and Madam Zhang, having married a scholar, had picked up this habit herself. Thinking this to herself, she spoke it aloud. Xiao Yuan was quite embarrassed and could only cover it up by drinking tea. Madam Tang and Madam Li, being rather exclusive, felt she had been wronged by Madam Zhang and quickly called her over to sit down, chattering, "What a hypocrite! All she talks about is poetry and literature, yet she never skimps on tuition. Why bother with her?"

Xiao Yuan asked curiously, "Don't you have any sons or brothers studying at Qiantang Academy? You even dare to ignore the headmaster's wife?" Madam Tang stroked the auspicious pattern on her dress and sighed, "I'm just like your third sister-in-law; only my daughter is my own." One of the Li family's sisters-in-law said, "Our little brother, nicknamed 'Cricket,' is studying at Qiantang Academy, but he's just wasting his time. What's the harm in offending the headmaster's wife?"

While they were chatting animatedly, Madam Zhang was neglected again. Li Wuniang had no choice but to speak up again, and had someone bring out a plate of beads made from red coral, saying, "My mother gave me a large coral, but I don't know what to use it for, so I made a few beads. Can you help me check the quality and see if they're suitable for making a few earrings?"

Upon seeing the plate of bright red beads, Li Jiasan laughed and said, "Mother-in-law is indeed biased. There are only two corals of such good quality. One was given to Li Ququ. I wondered where the other one went. So it's here." This was meant as a joke, but Li Wuniang was somewhat displeased and turned to talk to Madam Tang, leaving Li Sansao standing there.

Xiao Yuan stood next to Li San's wife and, seeing her embarrassed expression, quickly changed the subject, asking where she got the gold-embroidered belt. Li San's wife understood that she was saving the day and smiled gratefully, saying, "She's already angry? There will be many more days of resentment to come. Those who divorce and return to their parents' homes, although they don't lose their dowry, it's still a loss of face. We have many brothers in our family, and our wives' bells and spittle can drown her."

Xiao Yuan was taken aback: "Divorce? What are you talking about? I haven't heard anything about it." Li Sansao pulled her to sit down and smiled: "Your third brother is unwilling, so naturally he won't tell you." Xiao Yuan held the jade pendant at her waist, which was ice-cold, and sighed softly: "Although it is said that one should advise reconciliation rather than separation, my third sister-in-law and third brother have not had a good time these years. She has had a very hard life."

"Who doesn't have a hard life?" Li Sansao said dismissively. "She just killed the master's concubine. If she wants a divorce at this critical moment, won't that give people something to talk about? If this really happens, within three days, the whole streets and alleys of Lin'an will be talking about it, saying that the Li family's daughter asked to leave the house out of fear of punishment."

Madam Tang, who was probably close to the Li family and knew the inside story, listened for a while and did not leave in a discreet manner. Instead, she came over and said with a smile, "Third Sister-in-law Li, you only told half the story. The other half of the reason why your Li family is unwilling to let Fifth Sister Li get a divorce is that you can't bear to part with your good son-in-law, Third Brother He, right?"

Li Sansao blushed slightly, but did not deny it, saying, "Although we have a few officials in our family, none of them are as capable as Master He. Having a son-in-law in the court is such a good thing, but Li Wuniang just can't see it."

Xiao Yuan blinked. She only knew that He Yaohong's backyard was a mess, but she didn't know that in other people's eyes, he was a successful young man in the officialdom, and the Li family regarded him as a hot commodity and were reluctant to let him go.

Madam Tang felt that Li Wuniang's desire for a divorce was a farce. Her husband refused to let go, her brothers objected, and she and her mother-in-law, who wanted to kick her out, couldn't possibly get it done. She whispered a few words to Li Sansao, who nodded repeatedly and smiled broadly. Then she turned to Xiaoyuan and said enviously, "Among us, Madam He is the most fortunate. Her husband doesn't take a concubine, and her children are all grown up."

Xiao Yuan loved to hear this and thought to herself, "This Madam Tang is quite adept at navigating social situations." She said a few words of modesty and was about to ask about her family when a concubine came over and said, "Madams, my lady invites you to the garden to enjoy the flowers."

Madam Tang laughed and said, "It seems they're going to have a treasure contest. Let's go take a look." It turned out they were really going to have a contest. Xiao Yuan straightened her hair and, together with her, followed the concubine into the garden.

It was springtime, and although the He family garden didn't have any rare or precious flowers, the common varieties were blooming beautifully. Several ladies sat around Li Wu Niang, except for Madam Zhang, who sat a little further away. Tea was served, and led by Li San Sao, the group began to chatter. The topics were nothing more than: "My hairpin is prettier than yours," or "Your clothes are not as expensive as mine."

So that's how they were arguing! Xiao Yuan was dizzy listening to it and unconsciously moved closer to Madam Zhang. A hint of surprise flashed in Madam Zhang's eyes again, and she said, "I knew Madam He wasn't such a vulgar person." Her voice was quite loud, and all the ladies who were "arguing" heard her. They all glared at her, but she didn't seem to care. She casually took a sip of her tea and continued chatting with Xiao Yuan: "This flower tea is quite good. I heard it was made by Madam He?" Xiao Yuan humbly replied, "Not at all. I just don't like tea brewed using the old method, so I just steeped some dried flowers in water. Who knew everyone would love it?" Madam Zhang praised, "Madam He is so intelligent and kind-hearted. There's no need to be modest." Xiao Yuan smiled slightly and said, "My two sons have been causing trouble for the headmaster at the academy."

Madam Zhang was clearly not very familiar with the affairs of the academy and asked, "Which two sons are yours?" Xiao Yuan replied, "One is named Cheng Zilin, and the other is Cheng Ziyun." There were many students in the academy, and even the headmaster might not know these two children. She was just being polite. Unexpectedly, Madam Zhang said, "So they are your children."

Xiao Yuan was taken aback, unsure whether the words were praise or criticism. Madam Zhang smiled first: "My husband often mentions Cheng Ziyun, praising his intelligence and saying he's destined for the Imperial Academy." Before Xiao Yuan could even feel happy, Madam Zhang changed the subject: "Isn't Cheng Zilin's nickname 'Wu Ge'? I've heard so much about him." She emphasized the last sentence, and her expression changed.

But when Xiao Yuan asked her for details, she refused to speak. When asked too many times, she turned her face away, acting as if she didn't care.

Xiao Yuan didn't know why she had suddenly turned on her, so she had no choice but to move back to sit next to Madam Tang. Madam Tang comforted her, saying, "We used to be very close friends, but I couldn't stand her character, so we gradually drifted apart."

Xiao Yuan was only worried about Li Wu Niang and her husband, but now she had to worry about Wu Ge too. She wondered what trouble he had gotten into at the academy that had caused the headmaster's wife to turn on her so easily. As a mother, her children were always the apple of her eye, and the more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. She couldn't sit still any longer, so she made up an excuse to leave and go home to wait for Wu Ge to finish his studies.

“”

Chapter 209 Secrets to Chasing Girls

Since the Cheng family of Quanzhou resumed their maritime business in Lin'an, Cheng Mutian has been busy. Wu Ge goes to the academy in the morning and learns to do business in the afternoon; Chen Ge also went to the dock a few times, but he was not interested and went back to the academy to bury himself in his studies; Zhong Lang does not like to interact with people. He went to the academy a few times, but each time he secretly ran back. Cheng Mutian could not do anything about him, so he had to let him learn to read with Madam Yuan.

When Xiao Yuan returned home, she didn't see any of the adults or children. Even Rui Niang had gone off to play with Cheng Si Niang, making artificial flowers. She sat down at the table, flipped through a few pages of accounts, and sighed with a smile, "No wonder those ladies hold a Gengshen gathering from time to time. The children are all grown up and have plenty of free time, so they're bored all the time."

"Boredom" was a bad word to think about; the more she thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt. Unable to concentrate on her accounts, Xiao Yuan went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. The cook was making rice flour dumplings, steaming them with maltose syrup. Xiao Yuan frowned, "You spoil Chen-ge too much." The cook smiled, "Chen-ge has been running for months and has lost weight. Studying is hard work, so let him have something sweet." Xiao Yuan smiled and retorted, "It's already steamed; what can I say?"

To avoid showing favoritism, she put on her silver armband and personally made a paper-thin medicinal dish with Wu Ge, topped with shredded chicken and bamboo shoots; she then expertly made a steamed goose for Cheng Mutian; and with the cook's guidance and help, she made a dish of diced meat and bean sprouts for Rui Niang, and cooked a fish for Zhong Lang. She also wanted to make a belly soup for Cheng Si Niang, but suddenly remembered that she was now eating in the workshop, so she had to give up.

When Cheng Mutian returned home that evening, he had drunk too much as usual. Xiaoyuan quickly ordered someone to peel and slice a large pear from Zhanggong and feed it to him to help him sober up. Cheng Mutian ate a few slices from her hand and said, "Today I drank some wolfberry wine made with medicinal herbs. I saw some coconut wine from Lingnan on the table, so I brought two jars back for you. Drink it with dinner."

The maids had already set out the meal in the outer room. Xiao Yuan went out to give instructions and came back in, scolding, "You're still thinking about wine. Because you always come back drunk, I've learned several ways to sober up." Cheng Mutian picked up a slice of pear and ate it, laughing, "This is sweet and delicious, better than vinegar."

Xiao Yuan helped him up and went to the outer room to eat, but Cheng Mutian said he wasn't hungry and just sat to the side. Xiao Yuan glanced at Wu Ge a few times and asked, "You've been drinking too?" Cheng Mutian answered for him, "Master Tang is also learning how to do business with his son, so he just had the younger ones together. They didn't drink with us."

Xiao Yuan was relieved and asked, "Which Master Tang? Today at the Gengshen gathering at Third Sister-in-law's house, I met a lady whose husband's surname is Tang. Could it be his wife?" Cheng Mutian took the soup handed to him by the maid, took a sip, and nodded, "It's his wife. He mentioned her to me." Xiao Yuan asked again, "Is the Tang family's business doing well?" Cheng Mutian asked in surprise, "How do you know?" Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "His wife is very good at socializing, so their business must be thriving."

Cheng Mutian laughed, "You don't know, that couple runs shops like they're competing, each doing their own business and managing their own accounts. They're practically business rivals, it's quite interesting, and everyone who knows them marvels at it." Xiaoyuan said admiringly, "So Madam Tang is a business expert. I need to learn more from her." She chatted with Cheng Mutian until the children finished eating and went back to their rooms, before she realized that she had gone completely off-topic.

Cheng Mutian noticed the change in her mood and asked, "Why are you frowning? Is the coconut wine I brought back not good?" Xiao Yuan put down her rice bowl, sat down next to him, and said, "Today at the Gengshen Gathering, I also met the headmaster's wife of Qiantang Academy. Madam Zhang seemed to have some complaints about our Wu Ge. Do you know why?"

Cheng Mutian's back tensed instantly: "Has this kid gotten into trouble?" He gave an order to someone to fetch Brother Wu. Xiao Yuan cautioned, "Don't lose your temper right away. It can't be anything serious, otherwise, given the headmaster's wife's straightforward nature, she wouldn't be so blunt." Brother Wu was already lifting the curtain, and Cheng Mutian lowered his voice, "It would be better if she said it outright, but I'm afraid it's something shameful."

Xiao Yuan glared at him, about to retort, but Wu Ge had already finished his greeting and asked, "What brings Father and Mother here to see me?" Cheng Mutian was about to speak when Xiao Yuan pressed his hand down, put on a smile, and came out to Wu Ge, saying, "You two have been at Qiantang Academy for quite some time now. Your father and I want to find an opportunity to invite the headmaster's family to our home, but we don't know their preferences, so we called you here to ask."

A clear look of joy flashed across Wu Ge's face as he asked, "Really?"

Such a mischievous child, upon hearing that the headmaster was coming, should at least be reluctant, if not panicked. Why, then, did he look so expectant? Xiao Yuan was suspicious, but didn't show it on her face. She only asked him about some of the headmaster's favorite dishes, and then said with feigned regret, "It's a pity you only know the headmaster's preferences, but not the preferences of the other members of his family."

Wu Ge said, “The headmaster’s family is just like ours. They don’t have concubines, only one wife. They have a son and a daughter, but the son passed away a few years ago. Now they only have a daughter, the one I told you about who joined the literary society…” He became more and more excited as he spoke, and even started gesturing. It turned out that all the students at Qiantang Academy considered it an honor to be in the same society as the headmaster’s daughter. Unfortunately, the headmaster’s family was very strict, and several years had passed without anyone ever meeting her. Even when the students went to give her gifts for her birthday, it was the headmaster’s wife who accepted them on her behalf.

Cheng Mutian said sternly, "Have I not told you about the proper separation between men and women? Has your teacher not told you about it? Why do you always ignore the words of your elders? How can you possibly meet a young lady from a secluded family? Even if you come to our house, your mother and sister will receive you. You should take the initiative to avoid them."

Seeing that he had misunderstood, Wu Ge waved his hands repeatedly: "Dad, I'm innocent. I didn't mean that. I just wanted to brag to my classmates that my mother is so capable of inviting the headmaster's daughter to be a guest."

Xiao Yuan was still suspicious, so she pretended to believe him and continued to ask him about the headmaster's wife and daughter. Finding that what he knew was all hearsay, she let him go and said to Cheng Mutian, "I think he really has nothing to do with the headmaster's daughter. Could it be that the headmaster's wife has misunderstood something?" Cheng Mutian said, "The headmaster's wife is a woman. How would I know what she's thinking? Why don't you organize another Gengshen gathering and find out?"

Xiao Yuan followed his advice and, imitating Li Wu Niang, held another Gengshen gathering, but without inviting the Headmaster's wife. With the Headmaster's wife absent, it was much easier to inquire about her family's affairs. Xiao Yuan pieced together the information from Madam Tang and the other ladies, finally understanding the whole story. It turned out that the Headmaster's wife wasn't angry with Wu Ge, but with her own daughter. On the day of the Headmaster's daughter's birth, the students of the academy, wanting to curry favor with the Headmaster and win his daughter's heart, showered her with gifts, filling the room. The Headmaster's daughter, however, didn't care for anything else, but specifically chose a small trinket given by Wu Ge and put it in her purse. From then on, the Headmaster's wife disliked Wu Ge.

To be honest, these two children have never met and don't know each other at all. The fact that the headmaster's daughter specifically chose the gift that Brother Wu gave her is probably just because it's novel. Such a trivial matter, why would the headmaster's wife show such disrespect to Xiao Yuanlian in front of her? Cheng Mutian pondered for a moment, then slammed his hand on the table and said, "The headmaster's wife must think that our Brother Wu isn't suited for studying and looks down on him, which is why she's angry. She looks down on my son, and I look down on her daughter too. From now on, we should have no further dealings with her family."

Xiao Yuan glanced at him but remained silent. Her sons were all studying at Qiantang Academy. If they didn't know each other like before, that would be fine. But now that they had become acquainted, there was no reason for them not to keep in touch.

Cheng Mutian probably thought of this as well, so he changed his route, called Wu Ge over, and carefully taught him a set of secrets that allowed him to interact with the opposite sex in a way that was completely in accordance with the rules. Wu Ge nodded repeatedly and exclaimed his admiration.

Xiao Yuan was very curious. That night, when they went to bed, she took good care of Cheng Mutian and begged him to tell the story again. Cheng Mutian stubbornly refused to speak, only saying, "Anyway, it's not about teaching him to climb over walls like I did back then." Xiao Yuan, finding this approach ineffective, tried another: "So, does Brother Wu have feelings for the Headmaster's daughter or not?" Cheng Mutian thought for a moment and said, "I think it's mostly admiration. He only knows how to fight, so he has a crush on girls who are good at poetry and lyrics." Xiao Yuan said, "Then I know what you talked to him about." Cheng Mutian asked curiously, "You can guess?" Xiao Yuan's hand reached down, and she smiled, "Having slept beside you for so many years, what can't I guess? You must have taught Brother Wu that if he wants to pursue any young lady, he must first tell his parents, and let them handle it." Cheng Mutian's breathing quickened, and he grabbed her restless hand, saying, "You guessed half right. I also told him that if he really wants to give gifts to the Headmaster's daughter, he should talk to your mother. Your mother will definitely have a way to get the gifts to the Headmaster's daughter without the Headmaster's wife knowing."

"Cheng Erlang, you're just making this up. You're still old-fashioned at heart. Would you teach him these things?" Xiao Yuan's one hand was tightly held by him, but her other hand broke through his defenses and successfully reached its destination. Cheng Mutian let out a soft cry, then simply rolled over and pinned her down, letting her hand wander around mischievously.

He kissed Xiaoyuan's lips, his voice lingering and indistinct, "The only thing I ever did in my life... was to climb over the He family's wall... and marry you, but I've never regretted it... and I... don't want... our son... to regret it..."

"Erlang..." Xiaoyuan seemed to have just understood the man in front of her, and she wrapped herself tightly around him.

"My lady." Cheng Mutian's reply was brief, decisive, and unwavering, which was very reassuring.

Outside the window, the shadows of trees swayed, and the chirping of insects was melodious. On the rooftop, a wealthy woman tiptoed across the tiles, choosing her beloved. Xiao Yuan nestled in Cheng Mutian's arms and closed her eyes to sleep, vaguely thinking that perhaps her chance encounter with the Southern Song Dynasty was to meet him.

Chapter 210 A Mother and Daughter with Vastly Different Personalities (Part 1)

To test Wu Ge, Xiao Yuan tricked him by saying she'd invited Headmaster Zhang's family over. Unexpectedly, he took it seriously, asking about it every few days, seemingly determined to get the headmaster's invitation. Upon closer questioning, Xiao Yuan discovered he'd already spread the word among his friends, fearing the headmaster's absence would cause him to lose face. Xiao Yuan deeply regretted lying to the children. Since things had come to this, she had no choice but to prepare a feast and expose the lie. Fortunately, she had a personal relationship with Madam Zhang, so sending an invitation to the Zhang family was perfectly legitimate. Apparently, Madam Zhang initially didn't want to come, but Headmaster Zhang highly valued Chen Ge's academic excellence and persuaded her to accept the invitation.