The Perfect Life in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 2

"It's not that simple. Someone told Manager He that Manager Luo's wife's nephew was smuggling tea from the shop and selling it privately. I suspect Manager Luo secretly instructed him to dismiss him as manager on the grounds of negligence and cover-up, and replaced him with Manager He from Hangzhou. They even said that because of me, Manager Luo's nephew wouldn't be sent to the authorities for investigation, but would just be given a few lashes and kicked out. What kind of nonsense is this? I haven't even left yet, and he's already giving me attitude."

Madam Qian paused for a moment, then said, "So, according to you, it's settled? There's no way to take it back?"

"Um!"

"Since things have come to this, there's nothing you can do about being angry."

Chen Yu sighed and said, "I understand that too. I brought Luo Erlang from Hangzhou with me. He didn't have any relatives in Hangzhou to begin with. He only got married and settled down in Danling. His wife's family is all local. I thought that he had followed me for so many years and it wasn't easy for him. His job in the shop was more than enough to support his family, so he didn't need to bring his whole family back to Hangzhou with us. But now..."

"Whether it's true or not, Manager Luo's dismissal is a foregone conclusion. Judging from the situation, Shu Er is eager to promote Manager He. Even without this incident, he would have found a reason to remove Manager Luo from his position later."

Upon hearing Qian's words, Chen Yu seemed to realize something, slammed his hand on the table, and said sternly, "How hateful that you two have such petty minds! He's just worried that I'll leave a spy for him! How could I possibly have such despicable thoughts?!"

Madam Qian paused for a moment, then said, "Manager Luo is an honest man. I reckon he might not know what my nephew did in private. If something happens, he certainly won't want to cause you any trouble. Right now, we should think about how to settle their family. After all, they've been with you for many years, and we can't let them down."

After hearing this, Chen Yu remained silent and pondered for a long time before deciding to take the money to Manager Luo's house the next day. Chen Yu planned that if Manager Luo wanted to stay in Danling, he would leave the money and let him find another way to make a living; if Manager Luo wanted to return to Hangzhou with him, he was afraid he wouldn't know how to settle him down then, and naturally he wouldn't be able to give him a job, so he would leave the money for them to buy some household items.

Mu Qing heard everything clearly from inside. It seemed that Chen Yu, who rarely lost his temper, was truly enraged. But what surprised her even more was that the seemingly gentle and beautiful Madam Qian had already figured out that Shu Er was wary and trying to elevate her own people. Her mind was exceptionally sharp. Although her father was shrewd, he was also somewhat straightforward and sometimes unwilling to think the worst of his own family. But her mother was different. Thinking back to what her mother had just instructed her, it seemed that her mother had been through the trials and tribulations of the household and was quite astute.

There are probably quite a few people in the Chen family like Shu Er who betray their benefactors after using them. If only her family could establish its own separate household! She'd watched many TV dramas about wealthy families in her past life and knew that for a large family like the Chen, it wasn't easy to leave before the family division. Even if they insisted on leaving, countless people would gossip behind their backs. Those who lacked ability and relied solely on the family's protection might find it even harder to leave… Her father had managed the business quite well over the years; if they could truly escape the intrigues and conflicts of the family, it wouldn't be a bad thing…

The ink in the brush washer had already spread, turning the clear water into a deep black.

Mu Qing stared at the water, lost in thought, forgetting the time, and stirred the muddy water in the brush washer with her brush.

"How long have you been stirring this? Be careful not to damage the brush tip!" Chen Yu's voice interrupted Mu Qing's thoughts. He took the brush from Mu Qing's hand, pinched the tip with his fingers, and gently squeezed until there was no more ink. He took a small piece of Xuan paper from the side, wrapped it around the tip to absorb the remaining water, and then hung the brush on the brush holder.

Chen Yu's face was calm, though slightly tired, but there was no trace of anger. He looked at Mu Qing with affection and said, "Confucius said: 'A craftsman who wishes to do his work well must first sharpen his tools.' When practicing calligraphy, one should cherish the tools used for it. How can someone who doesn't even cherish his brush write well? I taught Mu Qing how to wash his brush; Mu Qing, don't forget that in the future!"

Mu Qing scratched her head and smiled sheepishly, "Mu Qing won't forget again! Is Dad finished with his work?"

"Well, I was planning to come in and give you some pointers on calligraphy, but I didn't expect you to have already finished. In that case, you should go back and rest early!"

"Alright!" Mu Qing tidied up the scraps of paper she had finished practicing on the table, turned around, bowed to Chen Yu and Madam Qian in the outer room, and then left.

As the sun sets, the green tiles are tinged with rose gold, shimmering like glazed tiles.

Mu Qing stretched and stretched her neck before heading towards her west wing. As she passed through the corridor, she saw Honglian, the maid who served her in her room, hurrying towards the second gate, glancing around constantly.

Mu Qing pursed her lips, thinking to herself, according to the rules of the Chen family, the maids in the inner courtyard are not allowed to go to the outer courtyard at will. Now it is almost time for dinner, and Biyan is busy going to the kitchen to prepare the meal, leaving Honglian to guard the door. But why did Honglian go to the outer courtyard? This girl must have thought that she was waiting in Qian Shi's room to have dinner together, so she ran out. Judging from her "sneaky" appearance, could it be that she went to meet her lover?

Mu Qing smiled, not having time to gossip about the maids' private lives, and went straight back to the west wing.

Later that evening, Mu Qing lay on the couch, pretending to rest. There was a soft rustling sound at the door, and someone tiptoed in and walked to the shelf where the copper basin was placed.

"Ding—", something touched the copper basin and made a soft sound. Mu Qing raised her eyelids slightly, opened them a crack, and peeked at the person who had come in. It was Hong Lian.

Then, Mu Qing's gaze shifted to Hong Lian's wrist as she held the copper basin, and she couldn't help but frown. When did this little girl get a jade bracelet on her wrist?

There seems to be something fishy going on in Chapter Four.

Mu Qing sat up. Seeing that she had gotten up, Hong Lian hurriedly said, "Young lady, it's almost time for dinner. Come and wash your face."

"Um!"

Mu Qing didn't get down; her two short legs dangled off the edge of the couch. Hong Lian came over and put her shoes on for her. Mu Qing glanced at the bracelet on her wrist a few more times; the color was nice, and the price must have been high.

Honglian reached out and helped Muqing down from the bed. Muqing took Honglian's hand and pretended to have just noticed the jade bracelet, asking, "Oh, Sister Honglian, this jade bracelet you're wearing is so beautiful. It makes your skin look even better..."

Honglian didn't know what Muqing was going to say, but she saw Muqing shake her head and stammer for a long time before she suddenly realized, "It's even whiter than the white part of the scallion."

Upon hearing this, Honglian blushed slightly, feeling somewhat embarrassed. She quickly withdrew her hand and pulled her sleeve down to cover her wrist. "Young lady, you have such a sweet tongue. I can't believe how well you describe it."

“I noticed that Sister Honglian has never worn this bracelet before…” Mu Qing winked at Honglian, her lips curving into a pretty smile, “Why didn’t you let Mu Qing see it, Sister?”

Before Honglian could answer, she muttered thoughtfully, "A few days ago, Muqing was playing behind the big tree in the backyard when a few girls were whispering on the other side. One of them seemed to say that she saw Yang Sanniang's daughter. What was her daughter again? Oh right, she was wearing a glass pendant around her neck, covering it up tightly so no one could see it. Another said that it must have been given to her by Wang Xiaoyi from the general store on the next street."

Honglian was confused, not understanding why Mu Qing was telling her about what she had overheard in the backyard in such a fragmented way. She looked at Mu Qing with a puzzled expression and asked, "And then?"

Mu Qing remained unhurried. "That's all... I saw that you were hiding the bracelet from everyone, so it must have been given to you by your sweetheart today, since that girl said Wang Xiaoyi is the sweetheart of the Yang family's daughter. Sister, am I right?"

Mu Qing spoke slowly and deliberately, as if she was trying to recall the words. But when Honglian heard the words "beloved," she blushed and replied softly, "Young lady, please don't talk nonsense. I didn't get it today. My cousin gave it to me on my birthday a few days ago. I just happened to find it today, so I took it out and put it on."

"Oh—" Mu Qing took a few steps to the basin stand, splashed water on her face a couple of times, took the cloth handed to her by Hong Lian to wipe her face, and then asked, "I remember that no one sent Mu Qing any treats from home in Hangzhou a while ago?"

"Yes, my cousin works at our Chen family shop in Danling." Honglian helped Muqing sit down in front of the bronze mirror, loosened her somewhat messy hair, and slowly combed it, re-styled Muqing's hair into a double bun, and tied it with a light yellow silk ribbon that matched the color of her upper garment.

Mu Qing initially thought it was something her cousin had brought from Hangzhou, but she hadn't expected that Honglian's cousin actually worked at the shop. She couldn't help but be suspicious; only the shopkeeper could afford such extravagant spending. But she knew all the shopkeepers and had never heard of Honglian's cousin. He must just be a shop assistant, but where would an assistant get the money to buy such expensive jewelry?

"Oh, so Sister Honglian's cousin works at the shop? How come I've never heard Mother mention him?"

"He came late. The first year, he came with Manager He from the same family to collect interest. At that time, several of the local workers in the shop had left, and they were short-handed. He helped out for a few days. Later, Manager Luo saw that he was clever, so she let him stay. Now it's been almost a year. It's normal that Fourth Sister doesn't know about the shop's affairs because she takes care of the whole family."

"Oh, your cousin must be very capable."

"How would I know anything about what's going on in the shop? But I heard from my cousin that the Second Master Shu, who recently took over the shop, praised him for being a reliable and steady person." Honglian said with great pride.

"Oh?" A thought vaguely formed in Mu Qing's mind. Her father had mentioned that someone had reported to Master Shu. It was very likely that Honglian's cousin was a "spy" planted by Master Shu or the eldest branch of the family earlier.

Mu Qing wanted to test her, so she stood up and looked back at Hong Lian, pouting, "This bracelet is worth a lot of money. Your cousin is so good to you. Sister Hong Lian is just taking advantage of Mu Qing's young age. Actually, Mu Qing understands everything!" Mu Qing smiled and whispered, "Your cousin is your sweetheart, isn't he? You won't admit it because you're afraid Mu Qing will tell Mother that you secretly went to the outer courtyard today!"

Honglian was startled, and the comb fell to the ground. She quickly bent down to pick it up, saying guiltily, "Young lady, please don't tell Fourth Mistress. I... I just went to see my cousin. He knew I was going back to Hangzhou, and it had been a long time since we'd seen each other, so he took the time to accompany Second Master Shu today. In the end, he found an excuse not to go back with us and stayed to see me one last time, so..."

Honglian lowered her head and remained silent. Suddenly, she realized that although the little person in front of her was very childlike in her behavior and demeanor, her words revealed a certain shrewdness, and her mind became flustered.

Mu Qing turned to look at her and noticed that her hand holding the comb was trembling slightly, and her face was blank. She had forgotten to put the comb on the dressing table.

Mu Qing muttered to herself, judging from Honglian's appearance, she wondered if she was guilty of being caught in a scandalous affair and breaking the household rules, fearing being kicked out, or if she had some unspeakable secret with her cousin that she feared being exposed. She couldn't say whether Honglian, who was usually meek and submissive, was good or bad. Regardless of whether Honglian harbored ulterior motives, at least she served her diligently. Although her own family didn't have any secrets, who could predict what would happen in a household? Like Manager Luo, who was doing well but was replaced, what if one day someone serving her turned out to be a spy? That would always be detrimental to her family.

Mu Qing had made up her mind. She tugged at Hong Lian's sleeve, stared at her with wide eyes, and grinned, a hint of mockery in her smile. "Is Hong Lian's cousin begging you to stay? Or is Hong Lian thinking of getting married?"

"Young lady, don't talk nonsense..." Honglian was interrupted by Mu Qing's words, and she lost her previous tension. She mumbled half a sentence and then shut her mouth.

Mu Qing felt somewhat relieved. If this girl were also a "zongzi" (a type of Chinese idiom meaning someone who is easily fooled), she would probably have been busy explaining herself and backing down. Now it seemed that Honglian was not good at lying; her every expression was written on her face.

Honglian knew that although today's matter wasn't a big deal, the shop had strict rules. If people found out about the illicit affair between the shop assistant and the maid in the inner courtyard, it would be bad if those who disliked her cousin secretly caused trouble. After all, the young lady was just a child; perhaps if she pleaded a little, she wouldn't go and complain?

"Please, young lady, don't tell Fourth Mistress. I've served Fourth Mistress for so long, and I know proper etiquette. Fourth Mistress is always kind and forgiving; a few words of reprimand are enough, and I'm willing to accept the punishment. But there are too many people and too much gossip in the courtyard, and I'm afraid my cousin will suffer because of this. Alas, I've always been respectful when I meet my cousin, and he told me to go back to Hangzhou with Fourth Master's family. He said that next year, after Second Master has made him the third manager, he'll propose marriage to my family." By the end, Honglian's face was almost dripping with blood.

"I won't tell Mother what happened today. I was just teasing you. Look at Sister Honglian's face... Hehe!" Mu Qing let go of Honglian's sleeve, turned around and picked up the glass pendant on the dressing table to play with.

"Young lady, you've been playing tricks on me! I won't say anything more!" Honglian retorted angrily after her secret was exposed, then turned to tidy up the bed, not daring to speak to Mu Qing again.

Mu Qing glanced at her, then turned to stare blankly at the bronze mirror. She was increasingly certain of her unintentional discovery regarding the "zongzi" in the shop, but now that Manager Luo's situation was settled and her family was leaving, even if they found out about the "zongzi," it would be futile. Just as Qian Shi had said, Shu Er was always looking for an opportunity to bring Manager Luo down, because in his eyes, Manager Luo had already been branded by the Second Master Yu Siye. She just hadn't expected that this upheaval in the shop was either due to Shu Er, or perhaps it was all premeditated by the First Master's family. But even after handing over the shop and moving back to Hangzhou, it seemed they still weren't at ease? Did Honglian's cousin really have no other motive in wanting Honglian to come along?

Mu Qing didn't want to overcomplicate things, but having struggled alone in her previous life and experienced so much, she was naturally more wary than most. She knew she couldn't go back, and Chen Yu and his wife had treated her with such love and care that Mu Qing had gradually come to genuinely regard them as her parents. Besides gratitude, she also hoped to take care of them properly in place of the original Mu Qing, so she didn't want her family to be harmed. Given the changes at the shop, it was best to take precautions regarding Hong Lian. Even if she was unintentional, it was hard to guarantee that nothing wouldn't leak out later.

Mu Qing planned to find a suitable opportunity to reveal this matter to Qian Shi. Since Hong Lian also had feelings for her cousin Zongzi, she should just terminate the contract and get rid of her as soon as possible.

Chapter Five: All Gear Up and We Left

After a couple of days, the little commotion at the shop finally subsided. Unable to refuse, Manager Qian Luo of Chen Yu's offer, he accepted the money, thanking Chen Yu for his guidance. Once his nephew's injuries had healed somewhat, he took his family to live with his maternal relatives in Meizhou.

After seeing Manager Luo off, Madam Qian consulted a fortune teller to determine the travel date, which was set for the fifth day of the sixth lunar month. Chen Yu was quite satisfied with the birthday gifts prepared by Madam Qian, but fearing that their journey would be delayed by frequent stops, he had them escorted back to the Chen family in Hangzhou first. With the birthday gifts delivered, and half a month left before departure, everyone in Chen Yu's courtyard began to busy themselves with preparations.

The Chen family had lived in Danling for more than five years and had accumulated quite a bit of belongings. After packing everything up, apart from clothes for all four seasons, books, and some miscellaneous decorations, they estimated that it could fill five large boxes.

Seeing the large and varied items, Mu Qing jokingly asked how many entries would be recorded in her father's ledger if so many things were sold. Madam Qian, quick-witted, immediately had a list made for easy reference, to prevent things from being lost or misplaced, and also to guard against unscrupulous individuals stealing items.

After most of the things were packed, Madam Qian summoned Biyan to discuss the arrangements for the upcoming trip.

Biyan was the youngest of Qian's dowry maids; the others had all been married off long ago, leaving her the only one by her side. She was usually efficient and capable, and Qian relied heavily on her for household affairs.

"Fourth Master has decided to travel by land to Wanzhou first, and then by water back to Hangzhou. We need to hire a carriage first. Have Dahe check the prices at several carriage shops in the city these next two days," Madam Qian said to Biyan.

Biyan thought for a moment, "This servant understands. These things will require at least two carts. One three-ox cart will be for the servants, and two single-ox carts will be for Fourth Master, Fourth Mistress, and Little Mistress, as well as their personal maids and servants."

Madam Qian nodded. "Yes, five carriages should be enough. Remember to have Dahe hire four or five more bodyguards from the escort agency. Although we're taking the official road, the people of Sichuan are known for their fierce nature. We don't know where the dangers might lie along the way. If we encounter bandits or thieves, these servants at home won't be able to handle it."

Biyan agreed to everything. As Madam Qian flipped through the list, she suddenly remembered something, "I forgot to prepare some medicine for the journey."

"Don't worry, my lady! I've prepared a small box containing the Divine Purple Snow for treating rashes, the Immature Bitter Orange Pill for treating phlegm, the Magnolia Bark Decoction for treating cholera, the Medicinal Chess Pieces for treating back pain, the Asarum Powder for treating ear, mouth, and teeth problems, and also the Wan'an Pill that you usually take..."

Biyan meticulously listed the names of the medicines, and Madam Qian praised her, "You've really thought of everything!"

Hearing Biyan reciting the names of the medicines as if she were reciting a rhyme, Mu Qing teased, "Qing'er, Biyan is practically a doctor now. Mother, we should find Biyan a doctor to be her husband in the future."

Biyan blushed and scolded, "Young lady, how shameless! I went to great lengths to prepare this, and you still dare to make fun of me?!"

Madam Qian smiled and said, "Mu Qing, you really are precocious for your age! Remember to say these words inside the house, but don't spread them around outside!"

Mu Qing didn't take it seriously, and instead acted like an adult, shaking her head and saying, "The old women in the courtyard all say that it's hard for girls to get married when they get older. I just feel sorry for Biyan and Honglian. They worry about me all the time. It's not worth wasting their precious youth for me!"

Madam Qian was taken aback, then covered her mouth with her handkerchief and laughed, "It's kind of my Qing'er to still care about you two girls. But speaking of which, you and Honglian are not young anymore, you are both old folks from Hangzhou, it's time to think about the future."

Madam Qian put down the list, took a sip of the tea on the table, and looked up at Biyan. Biyan smiled, walked behind her and massaged her shoulders. "This servant thanks Fourth Mistress and Young Mistress for their concern. This servant came here with Fourth Mistress after she married into the family. Fourth Mistress treats me like family. This servant wants to serve the two mistresses for a few more years and does not want to get married so early."

"Sigh, you're the most considerate person in my life. You and Honglian have been with me the longest. If you're not willing, you can wait a few more years. I definitely won't let you suffer. When we go back this time, there will be more people in the house, so you'll have to be careful then." Madam Qian closed her eyes, her expression indifferent. "Honglian was bought from the city after all. Although she's only gone halfway through her ten-year contract, she still came late. In the end, you're the only person I can truly trust."

"I understand!"

Mu Qing sat to one side eating the fruit made in her own kitchen, and said casually, "Mother, you'll be busy for a while when we get back to Hangzhou, and you definitely won't be able to leave Biyan. Since we need to add someone to the household, find another personal maid for Mu Qing."

Both Madam Qian and Biyan were confused. Before they could ask, Muqing continued, "Sister Biyan wants to help Mother, and Sister Honglian already has someone she likes. Muqing wants to find someone suitable to replace her as soon as possible so that she can be released from the mansion to marry sooner, which can also be considered as a way of thanking her for taking care of her all these years."

Madam Qian opened her eyes, quite surprised. "How does Qing'er know these things? I've never heard Honglian mention them before?"

Mu Qing stuffed her mouth full of fruit and mumbled indistinctly, "The other day I happened to see her wearing a jade bracelet, it was so beautiful. I casually asked if it was a gift from her sweetheart, and she blushed and didn't say anything. Later she said it was a birthday gift from her cousin who works at the shop, so... these fruits are good, Aunt Li in the kitchen is getting better and better!"

Knowing she had said everything she needed to say, Mu Qing changed the subject. Seeing Qian Shi's brows furrow slightly after hearing this, she pretended to be happily eating fruit and forgot what she was going to say. After she finished eating, Qian Shi called her back to her room, instructing her not to tell anyone else about this, especially her father, Chen Yu. Mu Qing nodded in agreement, understanding that Qian Shi was indeed shrewd. As she bowed and left, she heard Qian Shi instruct Bi Yan to call Hong Lian over for questioning.

That evening, Mu Qing didn't see Hong Lian, and Bi Yan returned to serve her. The next day, she heard from Bi Yan that Hong Lian wasn't returning to Hangzhou. Madam Qian had arranged for her to marry her cousin, who worked at a shop. Before leaving, she had the wedding ceremony completed, a decent dowry given, and the indenture burned. Hong Lian had been staying at Aunt Zhang's house next door to prepare for her wedding.

When Mu Qing asked if Honglian's family would object to the hasty marriage, Biyan smiled and said that Honglian's mother and brother in Hangzhou were also struggling financially. With such a wealthy family like the Chen family making the arrangements and even providing a dowry, how could her family possibly object? Besides, Honglian would have to pay her husband's family a proper dowry after the wedding, so her family wouldn't suffer any loss.

On May 28th, Honglian got married. Mu Qing didn't attend the ceremony, but sent a pair of crystal earrings as a congratulatory gift through Biyan. Biyan told her that when Honglian saw her the night before, she asked her to convey her thanks to the young lady for acting as matchmaker. Mu Qing shook her head, inwardly mocking herself. She hadn't really acted as matchmaker; she had only hastened this marriage to eliminate a potential time bomb within her family. Honglian and she—this parting would likely be their last in this life…

After the matter in Danling was settled, on the fifth day of the sixth lunar month, Chen Yu's family offered sacrifices to the gods of travel and set off back to Hangzhou.

The group traveled for two days to Meizhou, where they boarded a ship. They passed through Jiaozhou, Luzhou, Fuzhou, and Zhongzhou, and after about twenty days of sailing downstream, they arrived at Wanzhou.

Mu Qing was excited about her first boat ride, but once on board, she realized that seasickness, though not an illness, could be excruciating. She spent the entire journey lying in her cabin, gulping down two bowls of medicinal soup each day, barely managing to stay afloat until she reached Wanzhou, by which time she had lost a considerable amount of weight. Madam Qian wanted to switch to land travel, but Chen Yu worried about the longer route and potential delays. Understanding her parents' concerns, Mu Qing asked Biyan to inquire with the boatman about folk remedies. They found a method of relieving seasickness by pressing the Jiuwei acupoint. After trying it, Mu Qing found it effective and told Madam Qian, thus ending the idea of traveling by land.

After resting for a day in Wanzhou, Chen Yu and his family changed boats and entered the Yangtze River waterway the next day.