The Perfect Life in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 9

Chapter Twenty-One: Birthday Banquet

"Master, Second Master, Young Master has arrived!"

Today, the old lady was dressed in a deep purple-red long gown with a dark floral pattern, paired with a wide, dark red pleated skirt. Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with a phoenix-head gold hairpin and pearls, exuding an air of nobility. Seeing her children, grandchildren, and daughters-in-law enter, she sat up straight. "Eldest son and second son are here?"

"The guests ahead have been settled. My elder brother and I rushed over to wish you a happy birthday, so we can't delay the auspicious time for the banquet!" Chen Qiwen replied with a smile.

Chen Qizheng nodded, reached up and lifted the hem of his clothes, bent his knees and knelt down, placed his hands on the ground and kowtowed, then straightened up and said, "Son wishes Mother a long and happy life, as boundless as the Eastern Sea and as long as the Southern Mountain!"

"May your mother's Buddhist heart be eternal and her life long and blessed!" Although Chen Qiwen was a step behind Chen Qizheng, his words were exactly what the old lady wanted because she was a Buddhist.

The old lady smiled and looked at her two sons, "Alright, get up!"

Immediately afterwards, Chen Nian, Chen Yu, and Chen Wu, the three grandchildren who were at home, stepped forward to kneel and pay their respects. Then, Chen Xie led his four great-grandchildren and Mu Qing to offer birthday wishes to the matriarch.

"Oh, where's Fourth Brother?" The old lady noticed that Chen Xing wasn't inside and turned to look at Zhou Shi. Zhou Shi was about to speak when she saw Chen Qi, who was standing to the left of the old lady, lower his head and whisper something in her ear.

Upon hearing this, the old lady said regretfully, "In that case, let it be! Let Fourth Brother rest well!"

Everyone present knew that bringing up this matter at that time was extremely inappropriate, but Zhou wanted to say a few good words for Chen Xing, but was stopped. Knowing that there was no hope of reversing the situation, she pouted in grievance and followed the group of daughters-in-law in the family to offer her congratulations. Then, all the relatives, important guests and women in the hall also stood up, and the sounds of birthday greetings rose and fell, making it a very lively scene.

The old lady beamed with joy, rose, nodded in thanks, and said, "Please take your seats, everyone!"

After everyone was seated, Chen Qizheng led the others to rise and raise their glasses to once again wish the Old Madam a happy birthday. Only after drinking did they begin to eat. Mu Qing was already feeling a bit hungry. After watching the fight and the birthday celebration, the little bit of rice porridge and side dishes she had drunk that morning had long been digested. She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat the food that Qian Shi had placed on her plate.

After several rounds of drinks, someone suddenly announced in a loud voice: "Today happens to be the old lady's 100th birthday. This junior has specially composed a poem to wish the old lady long life and good fortune!"

"good!"

"Who is this Young Master Ma?"

"I don't know, the accent doesn't sound like someone from Hangzhou..."

People around whispered among themselves, some saying he was a distant relative of the Chen family, others the son of a wealthy merchant who had a business partnership with the Chen family, and still others the descendant of a friend of the Chen family. The hall became lively in an instant. Seeing this, Chen Qizheng coughed twice to stop the chatter, and then smiled and said, "Young Master Ma is a famous scholar in the capital, so his poem must be an excellent work!"

Upon hearing Chen Qizheng's words, everyone abandoned their original assumptions and guessed that those sitting in the inner courtyard offering birthday greetings at the Old Madam Chen's birthday banquet were either relatives of the Chen family or prominent figures from Hangzhou. Given Ma Mingyuan's young age, his Kaifeng accent, and the fact that his simple yet finely made clothing led some knowledgeable individuals to vaguely deduce that he came from the capital and might be a nobleman's son.

"I dare not, I dare not. Hangzhou is home to many distinguished scholars, and I am but a junior, far inferior to the seniors present. I offer this humble poem to celebrate the old lady's 100th birthday, as a token of my heartfelt sentiments!"

In fact, most of the people present were wealthy merchants; there were very few true scholars, only three or four at most. However, Ma Mingyuan's modesty won him the favor of the crowd.

Mu Qing and Ma Mingyuan were not at the same table. When they heard that he was going to recite a poem, they became interested, put down their chopsticks, and looked at the middle with great interest.

Ma Mingyuan bowed to thank everyone for their praise, and then slowly began to speak: "I do not wish you to be a pine or cypress, for the pine and cypress are old and useless; I do not wish you to be a crane or tortoise, for the crane and tortoise are drowning in the mud."

Ma Mingyuan had clearly only recited half of the poem. When he paused, the scholars sighed and shook their heads. Many members of the Chen family across two generations were fond of literature, and they knew that their distinguished guest dared not show it, but disappointment was evident in their eyes.

Mu Qing, however, was unconvinced. She thought of Zheng Banqiao's "Ode to Snow," whose stunning effect came only from the very last line. She also knew that this "Peach Blossom Servant," though a bit bookish, was quite learned. Judging from his confident demeanor, he must have a plan. Mu Qing rested her chin on her hand, observing Ma Mingyuan. Today, his changed attire gave him a more scholarly air, making his demeanor even more outstanding. In the future, he would surely be a dashing figure!

After a moment, Ma Mingyuan continued unhurriedly: "May you be like the moon in the sky, shining brightly year after year, leading all the stars to the heavenly palace as the dawn bells rise over Hangzhou."

The scholars nodded repeatedly after listening, while the merchants, who knew nothing of poetry and literature, found the music pleasant and easy to understand, and exclaimed, "Good!"

"Young Master Ma, you are truly talented!" The old lady was also delighted and couldn't help but praise him.

Although Mu Qing wasn't an expert in poetry, sixteen years of modern education had given him some exposure to it, and he possessed a certain level of knowledge. While the two halves of the poem weren't particularly outstanding on their own, together they were quite exquisite. The bright moon, high above, seemed to live as long as heaven and earth, naturally far exceeding the lifespan of ordinary pine trees, cranes, and tortoises by more than a hundred times. Mu Qing couldn't help but feel a greater appreciation for this little peach blossom.

Ma Mingyuan bowed and thanked her before taking his seat, a hint of smugness in his expression. Mu Qing observed this, shrugging. She had thought the young man was being humble, but it turned out he was also quite smug. She wondered if his earlier interruption was a publicity stunt to surprise everyone and highlight his talent. Mu Qing pursed her lips, thinking to herself that as a woman, she disdained plagiarizing later works. Otherwise, she might borrow a couple of lines to fit the occasion and put this young man's arrogance to a halt.

Among the younger generation of the Chen family, those who were good at poetry and prose and were the same age as Ma Mingyuan felt that they had lost face by being overshadowed by outsiders. So they couldn't help but rub their hands together under the table, racking their brains, wanting to write a poem to compete with each other.

When Chen Che, the second brother, first heard Ma Mingyuan's poem, he was dismissive. But after Ma finished reciting it, he realized that this nobleman from the capital was not an uneducated person, but rather quite talented. Although he admired him, his competitive spirit as a scholar prevailed. It wouldn't do for his family to be so arrogant as to let outsiders show off their talents at his great-grandmother's birthday banquet, as if they had no one else to rely on.

Chen Che pondered for a moment, then stood up and said, "I just heard of Brother Ma's masterpiece. Its words are imbued with Zen wisdom and are perfectly timed and appropriate for the occasion. It is an excellent work. I am not very talented, but I would like to join in and add another poem to congratulate my great-grandmother on her birthday."

"Good, Che'er, you are so filial! Quickly recite it for us!" The old lady was overjoyed to hear Chen Che recite a poem because her late husband loved his children and grandchildren to be ambitious and studious.

"In my youthful years, my temples are streaked with silver; I rejoice on my birthday, a day of peace and joy. Why not feast as the sky clears? Let us drink to our hearts' content, and let the dance unfold gracefully. The hall is filled with laughter as we celebrate your long life."

After Chen Che finished reciting, although his work was more ornate than Ma Mingyuan's, its true essence might not be superior. The old lady felt comforted by her grandson's achievements and nodded repeatedly. Ma Mingyuan also nodded in praise, and Chen Che responded with a smile before taking his seat. Everyone else was equally impressed, praising the Chen family for producing such talented descendants and predicting that the old lady would enjoy great wealth and honor in the future.

The hall was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation, except for Mu Qing, who was struggling with the steamed mandarin fish that Qian Shi had picked up for her.

Chapter Twenty-Two: A "Little Thief" Fell From the Sky

After Ma Mingyuan and Chen Che gave their speeches, the crowd was in high spirits, and people recited poems from time to time. Most of them were mediocre, and no one tried to steal the limelight from the young master of the main family and the mysterious young master Ma.

Halfway through the banquet, Chen Qizheng reminded the matriarch to go to the outer courtyard to greet the guests, adding that Mr. Huo had been invited to tell stories and perform acrobatics there, which she could also catch a glimpse of. The matriarch readily agreed. Since it was inappropriate for the female guests to appear in public in the outer courtyard, the matriarch instructed Liu to handle the socializing, while the other guests went to the outer courtyard with the matriarch and the others.

Without the elders present, the wives in the room felt much more at ease, chatting idly about this and that while they ate. Mu Qing had only eaten about 80% full, but the feast was so lavish that she ate too much. With her little belly bulging, she sat there idly, thinking that the wives would wait for the old lady to return before leaving, and most of them would stay to listen to the evening's entertainment. She wondered how long it would last, and that it wouldn't be unreasonable for her, as a little one, to say she was sleepy and leave early.

Mu Qing told Madam Qian that she was tired and wanted to go back to the back for a nap, returning later when the performance began. Madam Qian agreed, and Mu Qing went back to the back courtyard. Once inside, she felt incredibly full. Mu Qing wanted to find someone to accompany her for a stroll, but no one answered after she called out twice. She guessed that the maids had all gone to the front to help, and the remaining maids in the back were either slacking off or sneaking off to watch the performance in some corner of the front courtyard. Mu Qing didn't bother calling again and went for a walk in the back garden through the back door.

...

In early autumn, the back garden is a peaceful and quiet place away from the hustle and bustle outside.

Inside the house, the atmosphere was lively and the temperature was high. After sitting for a while, even though Mu Qing hadn't been drinking, her face felt a little hot when she came out. Now, as a slightly cool breeze blew by, she felt indescribably comfortable. Mu Qing walked slowly, stepping heavily on the cobblestones of the garden path, muttering, "With this breeze, it wouldn't be bad to get a self-service foot massage here."

Mu Qing wandered around the garden a couple of times, her bloating subsiding considerably, before turning to walk towards the central courtyard. The wind rustled the leaves, and if the sky were any darker, walking alone in the backyard would have been rather eerie.

As you pass through the bushes, there's a rustling sound, like the rustling of clothes against branches as someone walks through the trees.

Mu Qing quickened her pace, when she heard someone say, "Master Li, it's settled then. I'll send someone to Nanwa tomorrow to deliver the money and pick them up. You'll be in charge of negotiating with Hongluan and Fengwu, but make sure nothing goes wrong!"

"Master Chen, don't worry! Leave it to me. Li Sheng can't guarantee anything else, but persuading Hongluan and Fengwu is a piece of cake. My daughters, whom I've raised since they were little, always have to listen to their godfather first. Besides, how could they not want to come into a wealthy family like the Chen family? Hehe!" A high-pitched male voice said confidently.

Hiding behind a bush, Mu Qing muttered to herself, "The person talking to my uncle must be the owner of the Li Family Entertainment Hall, right? Why does that voice sound like a eunuch's?" Who are Hongluan and Fengwu? A sudden thought flashed through Mu Qing's mind, and her eyes widened. Could it be that her uncle had taken a fancy to a pair of actresses and wanted to buy them as concubines? Buy concubines? She had just seen her uncle's two submissive concubines in the hall. They weren't very old, and their obsequious manner towards her aunt showed that her capable and shrewd aunt held sway over the household. If two more came, would she agree to it?

Mu Qing's mind wandered, and she heard Chen Nian say again, "Who said they were going to the Chen residence? You just take care of your business and wait for me to pick them up! Don't worry about anything else! Remember what you're supposed to say if anyone asks about this!"

"I remember, I remember, don't worry! We'll come pick them up tomorrow!"

As the voices faded into the distance, Mu Qing peeked out from behind the bushes, her small eyes darting around to make sure everyone was gone before letting out a sigh of relief. She thought to herself, "Looks like my uncle is going to keep a mistress. In ancient times, men taking concubines was openly keeping a second wife; keeping a mistress is like keeping three! Once the deed is done, my aunt will have to act virtuous and turn a blind eye."

Walking slowly along the white-gray brick wall, Mu Qing thought about what she had just heard and wondered if she would end up with a husband like that in the future.

If it weren't for this incident today, she wouldn't have thought this far ahead. Even though the old lady had started the ancient bride training program early on, Mu Qing only learned it as a way to make a living. She never considered that she, too, would need to find a husband, get married, and have children in this era. But surely there's no bigamy law in the Song Dynasty! Did she really have to watch her husband carry one woman into the house after another? How wonderful it would be to find a devoted man like her father, but such a person is rare and hard to find here…

"Thump—"

A loud bang jolted Mu Qing awake. She instinctively took a step back, only to find a person on the ground not far in front of her—or rather, a man, dressed in a blue robe and yellow skirt, his hair tied up with a matching headscarf, lying sprawled on the ground.

Mu Qing opened her mouth in surprise. It's one thing for a piece of tile to fall and hit someone, but how could a person fall down?

The man stood up, supporting himself with his hands on the ground, completely unaware that someone was beside him. He brushed the dirt off his clothes and mumbled, "Cough cough, these tiles are too slippery!" Then, he looked up, patted the dirt off his face, straightened his headscarf and sideburns, and turned to look at Mu Qing.

"Who are you?" the two asked at the same time.

Mu Qing's gaze swept over the person. This person was about the same age as her older brother, around fifteen or sixteen years old. He was tall and slender, with a pointed chin, sharp eyebrows, and eyes that resembled flowing waves. The corners of his eyes were rounded and upturned, and his eyes were like black lacquer. His gaze was restrained, and there was a slightly aloof smile on his lips. Although he was not as handsome as Xiao Taohua, he had a unique charm and elegance.

Mu Qing's eyes darted around, thinking to herself, "You can't judge a book by its cover. If someone climbs over the wall, they might really be a thief or a notorious robber, even if their landing is a bit clumsy..." Everyone in the house was in the front yard, and there wasn't a soul in the back yard for a while. If it really was a thief, then she had to be careful! She needed to stay calm and think things through first!

At the same time, those phoenix eyes were scrutinizing Mu Qing across from them with a half-smile, "You must be someone from this manor. May I ask if there is a young master surnamed Ma temporarily residing here?"

"Big brother, why don't you go through the gate? Why do you come down from there?" Mu Qing pointed to the courtyard wall and answered childishly. Was this guy looking for Ma Mingyuan? I can't believe him. Who knows if he heard some rumors and used them as an excuse?

The boy was taken aback by the question, not realizing that Mu Qing hadn't answered it directly. Thinking that children are innocent and must be curious about how he got in, he replied, "Little sister, I've come to find a friend..."

“But Father said that a gentleman should not climb over the wall to enter, so when you visit, you should go through the door.”

"Yes! Little sister, it's your brother's fault..."

"Since brother knows his mistake, he should go through the main gate again." Mu Qing glanced at the wall, wondering if there were any accomplices over there.

"Ugh!" The boy was momentarily exasperated. This little devil was so adorable, yet so difficult to deal with. He looked up at the girl before him, her dark eyes fixed on him like a pitiful puppy. His heart softened. A puppy? Puppies like bones. A doll, well…

Mu Qing noticed a strange smile suddenly appear on the boy's lips and felt a chill run down her spine. Could he really be a seemingly respectable "little thief"?

The young man rummaged around in his blue satin fish-shaped pouch at his waist for a while, then took out a small paper packet and handed it to her. "Here, little sister, brother is giving you some candy. Brother will be going to the main gate soon. Tell brother where that young master Ma lives."

Chapter Twenty-Three: "Luring" and "Counter-Luring"

Beneath the white courtyard wall, a ginkgo tree stands with yellow leaves, swaying in the wind like golden waves.

Under the tree, the boy bent down slightly, extending a slender hand to the little girl. He opened his palm, his dark, deep eyes quietly gazing at the shy girl. The little girl looked up at him with her round face, a flash of surprise crossing her eyes. She clasped her fair hands tightly together, then looked down at the boy's palm, remaining silent.

If someone were to pass by, they would surely assume that the two were whispering secrets to their childhood sweethearts. However, the two people involved were each preoccupied with their own thoughts. One was plotting how to elicit more information, while the other was muttering about how to beat around the bush. They were completely unaware of the enchanting atmosphere of the wind blowing and golden leaves falling around them.

"Try it, I made this myself!" The boy's voice was slightly hoarse, and a gentle smile played on his lips, making it hard to refuse his heartfelt gift.

Mu Qing peeked out, feigning curiosity, at the few sugar granules lying in the paper package, which were gleaming with a milky white light. She reached out and opened the package, lowered her head to sniff, and a faint milky scent wafted out. It was quite rare to see candy made with milk these days.

Mu Qing thought with impure thoughts, "This candy looks pretty good! Could this be considered a handsome young man seducing a little girl...?"

"If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening!" I, too, have my own principles; I will not accept "sugar" offered with contempt! Mu Qing rolled her eyes inwardly with immense resentment. "Hmph," she thought, "I've received legal education on television, so I should have some self-protection and awareness. This is blatant deception! Who knows if this guy added something to it beforehand?"

"This candy is sweet and delicious, made using a recipe passed down from the palace!" The young man, unaware of her thoughts, saw her interest and thought to himself, "This is promising!"

Upon hearing this, Mu Qing blinked, her mouth agape in surprise, "Really?"

The boy's eyes curved into a smile again. "Of course! It was from the old man... cough cough, anyway, it's the real deal, no deception!"

Mu Qing pursed her lips, picked up a sweet treat with her little hand, glanced at it twice, then put it back. She bit her lip and struggled for a moment before turning her head away, glancing sideways at the boy, and said in a low voice with a wronged expression, "Mother won't let me eat too many sweets."

In the boy's eyes, Mu Qing probably liked these things like any other child, but was too afraid to eat them because of her strict upbringing. So he gently coaxed her, "Hmm, these candies aren't very sweet, but they have a stronger milky flavor. They taste different from the ones sold in the shops outside!"

Mu Qing pouted and waved her hand, "I'll listen to Mother, I can't eat it. Thank you, brother. This is a rare thing, brother, keep it for yourself."

The young man was puzzled, but at a loss for what to do, he suppressed his smile and looked at Mu Qing with suspicion. Judging from her attire, she was clearly not a maid, but either a young lady from one of the households or a guest's family member... Right, could it be that she wasn't from this household? Let's try again!

The young man straightened up. "Little sister, are you here as a guest of the Chen residence?"

Mu Qing tilted her head and pouted, asking in surprise, "Why do you say that, brother?"

The young man smiled slyly, "Because you haven't mentioned knowing Young Master Ma, little sister, he's been staying in this mansion for quite some time. If you were someone from the mansion, how could you not know him?"

Mu Qing had initially thought he was using Ma Mingyuan as an excuse, but now it seemed that wasn't the case. Could it be that he really came looking for Ma Mingyuan? But whether he was friend or foe was uncertain. If she told him rashly and something went wrong, her family might also be in trouble. Mu Qing dared not be careless. Although he didn't seem to have any ill intentions towards her, she was currently alone and vulnerable. Even if she tried to escape, her short legs and small body wouldn't allow her to go far. Perhaps she should linger a little longer; maybe someone would come?

“This is my home, how could I not know where Young Master Ma lives? I even saw him at the banquet just now, he’s so handsome! Brother, you underestimate me!” With that, Mu Qing glared at Ma Mingyuan in a huff.