El paisaje es como una pintura

Capítulo 48

Cheng Fu came out with an empty teapot and said, "Young Master, no need to ask, they must have gone to do laundry. There isn't even a cup of hot tea in the room." Cheng Mutian looked around and said in slight surprise, "The He family is so poor? They don't even have a servant to look after the children?" Cheng Fu shook his head and said, "Although the He family is not as good as before, they can still make ends meet. It's just that Madam Jiang doesn't care about the lives of her illegitimate children. It's already good enough if she can give them a few months' salary each month."

Madam Jiang had always been like this, so Cheng Mutian wasn't surprised. He was only astonished that He Yaohong hadn't taken the opportunity to embezzle some money while working at the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office. Cheng Fu, who was on good terms with He Yaohong's servant and knew his affairs very well, said, "Young Master He spent all his money on his concubines and courtesans. He had saved some money, but Li Jiaqiang took it all." Cheng Mutian was even more surprised: "Li Jiaqiang took his son-in-law's money?" Cheng Fu laughed: "It can't be called extortion. Over the years, Young Master He's job expenses were paid by his wife, and his concubines and two sons were also supported by her. All of that money is more than his meager savings. The Li family was just trying to get revenge for their daughter."

Cheng Mutian was secretly displeased. If things continued like this, there was no hope for the couple to reconcile, and there was no hope for his wife's childbirth ceremony. What should he do? He went into the room, looked at He Yaohong who was still drunk and unconscious, sighed, and asked Cheng Fu to call the wet nurse and borrow two servants from Madam Jiang to bring him and his two sons back to the Cheng family.

Xiao Yuan was watching Wu kick the little balloon in the garden when she heard that her third brother was drunk and unconscious and had been carried to her house. She quickly took Wu back to her room and ordered someone to make a hangover soup.

Before she even saw He Yaohong sleeping in the room, she noticed the injuries on Cheng Mutian's face and rushed over, yelling, "Who did this? They deserve to die!" Cheng Mutian was even more frightened than her. Ignoring the servants nearby, he hurriedly stepped forward, hugged her, and scolded, "Don't forget you're pregnant."

Wu Ge also rushed over like his mother, hugged Cheng Mutian's leg, and said to Xiao Yuan, "Third Uncle hits Daddy." Cheng Mutian laughed and picked him up, pinching his little nose: "Who told you that?" Wu Ge pointed outside in his childish voice: "Cheng Fu." Cheng Mutian patted his little head and laughed: "Thanks to your sugar-coated Daddy, he really can't coax your cousin."

Xiao Yuan fetched medicine to wipe Cheng Mutian's face, not wanting her son to cause trouble, and called for Sister-in-law Yu to take him to the garden to play football. Cheng Mutian stopped her, saying, "Your third brother has two sons, and there's only one wet nurse to do the heavy work. How can she take care of them all? When I helped your third brother back, they were both sitting in the yard playing in the mud, covered in mud. So I brought them back to avoid any accidents if they stayed at home." After saying this, he called for Sister-in-law Meng, the wet nurse from the He family, to bring Quan Ge and Da Ge in to see their aunt. Because the two children were born out of wedlock, Li Wu Niang rarely let them come out to see relatives, so they didn't recognize Xiao Yuan and stood there not knowing how to greet her. Cheng Mutian didn't like their dull appearance, so he waved them away. Perhaps because of his unpleasant expression, Da Ge was frightened and started crying, his voice as loud as his brother's. Xiao Yuan glanced at Cheng Mutian unhappily, then quickly ordered someone to get some candy for them to eat, and then told Wu Ge to take them to the garden to play.

Cheng Mutian saw his son walk up confidently, holding one hand in each hand and leading the way outside, looking just like a little adult. His face was once again filled with smiles. Xiaoyuan took out a box of ointment and carefully applied it to his face, asking, "Why did Third Brother hit you?" Cheng Mutian waved his hand dismissively, claiming it was a misunderstanding and unwilling to elaborate. Xiaoyuan didn't press further, put away the ointment, and prepared to go see He Yaohong to get more details from him. But Cheng Mutian suddenly stopped her and asked, "Wife, if it's not a misunderstanding, are you siding with me or him?"

What a jealous man! Xiao Yuan rolled her eyes inwardly. She answered loudly, "Of course I'll side with my third brother." Cheng Mutian's face immediately changed. He stood up and called to Cheng Fu, "What's wrong with Young Master He lying at my brother-in-law's house? Take him there." Xiao Yuan looked around. It turned out the servants had already left. No wonder he was suddenly so bold. She was afraid his stubborn temper would flare up and he'd really send He Yaohong back. She quickly coaxed him, "If I really favored him, why would I have applied the medicine to you first?"

Cheng Mutian thought about it and realized it made perfect sense. The inexplicable jealousy in his heart instantly turned into sweetness. He smiled and stood up, about to embrace his wife and kiss her. Just then, He Yaohong stumbled in from outside, grabbed Xiao Yuan, and said urgently, "Fourth Sister, what use is such an ungrateful man? Get rid of him as soon as possible!"

Xiao Yuan was completely confused. She looked at Cheng Mutian with a questioning gaze. Seeing that He Yaohong had sobered up considerably, Cheng Mutian recounted the words he had used to provoke him during their drinking session. Xiao Yuan chuckled as she listened, while He Yaohong blushed deeply.

The maid brought in a bowl of plum juice. Xiao Yuan instructed her to place it in front of He Yaohong, saying, "Third Brother, this will also help you sober up. Have a bite."

He Yaohong sighed, holding the bowl, "Your third sister-in-law is not as virtuous as you. When I come back drunk from outside, she has never brought me any hangover soup."

Xiao Yuan couldn't help but retort, "Getting drunk? Where did you get drunk? If Erlang comes back drunk from those shady places, I'll beat him out with a big stick. There won't be any hangover soup for him to drink."

He Yaohong was speechless for a long time before finally saying, "She was the one who was arrogant first. Back then, she even dared to set her sights on your shops." Xiao Yuan continued to retort, "If it weren't for her stepmother taking away her dowry first, how could she have even looked at my two small shops?"

He Yaohong: "Back then, when she was choosing a husband after passing the imperial examination, she made a fool of herself and was ridiculed."

Xiaoyuan: "I wonder if Erlang will be ridiculed if he climbs over the wall to meet me in secret."

He Yaohong: "She doesn't wear a face shield when she goes out."

Xiao Yuan: "I dressed up as a maid and went shopping."

He Yaohong: "She became my concubine."

Xiao Yuan: "I gave Erlang's concubine too little gold."

He Yaohong: "She makes a scene at home every day because of that male lover."

Xiao Yuan: "My family even had male prostitutes come to our door, and I beat them with a board and kicked them out."

………………

He Yaohong was drenched in sweat. Cheng Mutian, who hadn't spoken for a while, approached him and asked, "Third Brother, is your sister still virtuous?" He Yaohong didn't dare to speak again. He carried Xiaoyuan on his back and quietly asked, "I see you are actually a sweetheart?" Cheng Mutian laughed and said, "Don't talk about me. I am different from you. Let me ask you, since your wife is so unvirtuous, why don't you agree to a divorce?" He Yaohong was quite embarrassed and said, "I was once an official's wife, and I am ridiculed. Let alone a divorce."

Cheng Mutian said, "Won't people laugh at you for living separately from her?" He Yaohong buried his head in his hands and said in a muffled voice, "I really can't like a woman like her." Cheng Mutian laughed and said, "What does it matter if you don't like her? A wife is meant to be respected, not pampered. Just treat her with courtesy, and it won't stop you from taking concubines and going to brothels."

He Yaohong said, "It's easy for you to talk when you're not in the situation. You have a generous dowry, while I'm poor and destitute. Even my previous two jobs were paid for by her. If I really treat her well, she will control me from head to toe, which is very annoying."

Cheng Mutian laughed and said, "How about I give you an idea? You can pay for a job at the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office yourself, then you'll have something to say to your wife." He Yaohong's face flushed slightly, and he said in a low voice, "You've seen my family's situation; we can barely afford to support our son. Where would I get the money to buy a job?" Cheng Mutian patted his shoulder and said, "I'll lend it to you. The Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office is quite lucrative; I'm afraid you won't be able to repay it."

“This is no small sum. Won’t your father-in-law say anything?” He Yaohong knew as soon as he said this that it was unnecessary. Master Cheng was eager to have one of his own in the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office, so why would he say anything to him? Cheng Mutian continued, “You don’t need to worry about the money for the job. There’s just one thing: you must bring your wife to your post. Otherwise, if you give all the money you earn to your prostitutes and concubines, where will you get the money to pay me back?”

He Yaohong carefully calculated that what Cheng Erlang said was true. His income from the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office would be enough to pay back the loan in less than a year. The Li family was also in the maritime business and relied heavily on the Maritime Trade Office. The last job he had was paid for by Li Wuniang, so the Li family didn't take him seriously. But this time, he had paid for the job himself. Not only would he be more assertive in front of Li Wuniang, but the entire Li family would also have to look up to him.

The more he thought about it, the happier he became, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Wonderful!"

Xiao Yuan had been waiting in the courtyard for a long time. When she saw them come out arm in arm, she knew that things had gone well. She felt relieved and went to greet them with a smile, but Cheng Mutian scolded her: "Don't you know you're pregnant? Why have you been standing in the courtyard for so long?"

Not satisfied with scolding her, Cheng Mutian also gave the maids a severe dressing-down before ordering a banquet to be prepared, inviting his third brother-in-law to stay for dinner.

Seeing that he was showing off his official power in front of his sister, He Yaohong's face was very unpleasant, but he didn't say anything. He secretly wondered to himself, "When I go back to the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office, I wonder if I can also yell at Li Wuniang like that."

Chapter 143 Southern Song Dynasty Maternity Package

Xiao Yuan had long since become accustomed to turning the cold-faced official's rebuke into concern. If it weren't for the kitchen setting up the banquet, sure enough, after He Yaohong took his seat, Cheng Mutian lagged behind and said with concern, "Your legs are already swollen, and you're still standing outside. Aren't you tired?" Xiao Yuan was happy and didn't know she was tired at all. She asked with a smile, "How did you convince my third brother?"

Cheng Mutian walked towards the hall, describing the scene as he went. Xiaoyuan listened with amusement, saying, "Treat her with courtesy? Does that mean we're treating Third Sister-in-law like a goddess on a Buddhist altar? What kind of life would that be?" Cheng Mutian had already reached the door when he stopped and said, "This is already the best outcome. What more do you want? Even if she gets a divorce, with the Li family's power, they certainly won't let her marry into a poor family again. Tell me, which family with a little money doesn't take concubines, which family doesn't frequent brothels? Can you guarantee she'll be better off than she is now?"

A pang of sadness welled up in Xiao Yuan's heart, but she forced herself to think positively. He Yaohong had suppressed his feelings for so many years, wanting to surpass Li Wuniang but failing to do so. He could only vent his frustrations by seeking out women everywhere. Perhaps if he stood up for himself and supported his family, he would treat Li Wuniang better.

Before she could think further, Quan Ge and Da Ge were already banging their bowls in the hall, complaining of hunger. She quickly ordered someone to serve the dishes and pulled Cheng Mutian, who was muttering "no manners" under his breath, into the hall to keep the guests company.

He Yaohong was also a very particular person. Seeing that his two sons had embarrassed him, he slapped one of them with a stern face, which frightened them into screaming and crying. He withdrew his hand sheepishly and complained, "Look at the children your third sister-in-law has raised, and you still say a lot of good things about her."

Xiao Yuan ignored him and led the three children to Wu Ge's room to eat meat porridge. She also brought over several plates of dishes specially made for the youngest child. Only after the wet nurse came to report that Quan Ge and Da Ge had stopped crying and were eating did she speak up: "It's only because Third Sister-in-law is kind-hearted that she sold her concubine and still raised your son. If it were me, I would sell my son too, even if it meant fighting to the death."

He Yaohong had never heard his sister speak so harshly before, and involuntarily glanced at Cheng Mutian. Unexpectedly, Cheng Erlang, who was used to yelling at his wife in public, only frowned and kept his head down eating, without uttering a sound. He was horrified, wondering if his sister was a hypocrite who acted as a virtuous wife in public but was a tigress at home. He dared not think any further, and suddenly felt that Li Wuniang was not entirely useless. After taking a couple of sips of wine, he said, "It seems that your family is about to have another baby. Go and call your third sister-in-law back to give you a gift to encourage the birth of your child."

Cheng Mutian had gone through all that trouble, effort, and money for the "birth-inducing gift" mentioned in that sentence, so he immediately beamed with joy. He then dragged He Yaohong into a drunken stupor before having someone send him and his sons home.

The next day, He Yaohong borrowed money from the Cheng family to buy a messenger from the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office to fetch Li Wuniang. Li Wuniang was disheartened and unwilling to return, but her father and brothers from her maternal family came to persuade her: "Who knew he would be so capable as to buy a messenger from the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office? Your family will rely on him for many things in the future. You should go back and live well with him."

Li felt wronged and indignant: "My cousin is also in the Maritime Trade Office. Why bother begging him?" Her father and brothers laughed: "Although their positions are both land-buying officials, they are different. Your cousin's land official is a land-buying and payment official. The prefix is 'right.' Your husband, on the other hand, is a proper Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). He was personally appointed by the Emperor. The prefix is 'left.' You, a woman, don't know the details. A 'left' prefix carries more prestige than a 'right' prefix."

The man is successful. His parents and brothers value him highly. What woman wouldn't be happy? But Li Wuniang felt their words were tantamount to selling their daughter. Stubbornly, she refused to get into the sedan chair. Her elder brother, who had personally escorted her to the imperial examination hall years before, provoked her, saying, "You chose this 'Jinshi' (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) husband yourself. He's finally achieved something. Are you willing to hand him over to someone else?" These words struck a chord with Li Wuniang. She gritted her teeth, thinking to herself, "I've already endured so many years. What's a little more endurance? I'll just make it look like a grand return to my parents' home."

She rode home in a sedan chair, still harboring resentment. She wanted to throw a tantrum as usual, but she remembered her father and brothers' admonition: not to offend He Yaohong, lest he neglect the Li family's shipping business; a woman living in her husband's family needs the support of her own family. She dared not disobey her father and brothers, so she had to suppress her temper and quietly help He Yaohong pack his belongings for his new post.

He Yaohong had longed for this for years. Finally, he had gained some of the authority of an official. Thinking of how the Li family now greatly feared him, and how he was no longer afraid of being unable to control Li Wuniang, he was extremely excited. That night, he went to her room and told her about his plan to take her with him to his new post.

Li Wuniang received this news she had never dreamed of. She was so excited she couldn't sleep a wink all night. She got up very early the next morning, prepared a very generous gift to encourage labor, and brought it to Xiaoyuan. Xiaoyuan, being pregnant, was still in bed when she heard Li Wuniang arrive. She hurriedly dressed and washed up to see her, apologetically saying, "Third Sister-in-law, you came to bring me this gift to encourage labor. I've kept you waiting." Li Wuniang felt even more apologetic: "I came too early and disturbed your rest." Xiaoyuan chuckled: "Third Sister-in-law, if you always spoke to my third brother like this, he would adore you."

Li Wuniang lowered her head and fiddled with the teacup for a while. She sighed and said, "How could I not know what he prefers? He just can't bring himself to lower his head. But now our Li family depends on him, so we have no choice but to bow our heads." Xiao Yuan took a duck egg and handed it to Wu Gewan, who had followed her, and told him to call her "aunt." She then said to Li Wuniang, "Third sister-in-law, don't blame me for being nosy. In this household, you're stubborn about small matters, but you go along with him when it comes to taking concubines. What kind of logic is that? It should be the other way around; that's how you manage your husband." Li Wuniang drank her tea without saying a word. Xiao Yuan knew she was a proud person and wouldn't say anything even if she listened, so she changed the subject and asked, "When are you setting off? I'd like to have Erlang send off the travel gifts."

Li Wuniang laughed and said, "Look at my memory! I came here specifically to thank you for this. You must have persuaded your third brother to take me to Quanzhou." Xiao Yuan thought for a moment and shook her head, saying, "You're wrong. It was my third brother's own idea."

Even if it was He Yaohong's idea, the money to buy the job didn't fall from the sky. Apart from the Cheng family, no one else had that much money to lend. Li Wuniang knew this perfectly well, but still thanked her, saying, "Say what you will, I appreciate your kindness." After saying that, she took out two pieces of paper and handed them to her: "These are things I copied from my family. They are things that need to be prepared before childbirth. I heard that you didn't have all of these when you gave birth to Wu Ge. You can't be careless this time."

Xiao Yuan took it and looked at it; a piece of paper read:

Baoqi Powder, Buddha's Hand Powder, Shell Powder, Elm Bark Powder

Black Saint Powder, Great Saint Powder, Sleeping Essence, Flower Medicine Stone Powder

Preservative, Childbirth-Inducing Pill, Black Dragon Pill, Female Stone Swallow

Li Zhongyuan, Shengdi, Qianghuo, Kui Zi

Coptis chinensis, bamboo shavings, dried plum, licorice

Seahorse, dried tangerine peel, ginger, black beans

The other one is:

Childbirth talisman, horse bit, medicine decoction stove, medicinal silk

Vinegar basin, container, soft and hard charcoal, earthenware pot for cooking porridge

Dried privet, a kettle, thatch, and a dozen or so small stones

Hot water kettle, lamp, lamp wick, torch

Oil candles, hair candles, handkerchiefs, soft and thick~

Baby soap, hair, umbilical cord cutting, and scissors

The items written on these two sheets of paper were essential items for childbirth during the Song Dynasty. The midwife had also prepared them for her first childbirth, but she believed that many of those items were based on superstition and had no practical use. If she brought them all into the delivery room, it would distract the midwife and herself, so she only selected a few useful items to bring in.

She had her own ideas, but she couldn't refuse Li Wuniang's kindness, so she solemnly thanked her for acting as the legal mother and following the custom of receiving the childbirth-inducing gifts. She then hosted a grand banquet for her and sent her back after lunch.

With nothing to do that evening, Xiao Yuan flipped through the two papers again and discovered that some of the "items for childbirth" were ones she had never seen before. She and Cheng Mutian lay on the bed and studied them together.

Cheng Mutian flicked the paper with a flourish and said smugly, "One sheet is medicine and the other is food. I've figured these things out thoroughly during the months you've been pregnant with our second child. If there's anything you don't understand, just come and ask me."

Xiao Yuan leaned closer to take a closer look. Bao Sheng Yuan, Cui Sheng Dan, Hei Long Dan, Li Zhong Yuan, Sheng Di Huang, Qiang Huo, Kui Zi, Huang Lian, Zhu Ru, Wu Mei, Gan Cao, Chen Pi, Jiang Qian, and Hei Dou were some medicinal materials related to inducing labor and protecting the fetus. When she gave birth to Wu Ge, she specifically asked the doctor about male and female stone swallows and seahorses. Why didn't she see them last time?

Cheng Mutian laughed and said, "The doctor here is just like you, so I didn't dare prescribe these birth-inducing items that you wear or hold during childbirth." He then pointed to the list of items and showed it to her: "The birth-inducing talisman and the horse bit are similar items."

Burning a talisman and holding these things in your hand can induce childbirth? Xiao Yuan shook her head with a smile, reading through the list of items as a bedtime amusement. The medicine-decocting stove and medicine-filtering cloth were fine, and the lamp and other items were also understandable, but the vinegar charcoal basin and "one or two dozen small stones" were completely incomprehensible to Xiao Yuan, so she had to humbly ask for clarification again.

Cheng Mutian didn't want to explain these two things, only saying, "You certainly won't need these things." Xiao Yuan vaguely guessed what they were for, but couldn't figure out how to use them. She joked, "Could it be that the baby in your belly is being naughty, so you use vinegar to sour him and pebbles to hit him?" Cheng Mutian's face was very serious. He said, "If it's postpartum hemorrhage, heat the pebbles with hard charcoal until they're red-hot, put them in a basin in front of the delivery bed, and pour vinegar over them."

It turned out that they poured vinegar on red-hot pebbles to revive the unconscious woman in labor. Xiao Yuan didn't quite understand the medical reasoning behind it, but just thinking about the pungent smell made her shudder. She told Cheng Mutian, "If I faint, just pat me with cold water, don't use vinegar on me."

Cheng Mutian flicked her forehead with two fingers and said angrily, "You just gave birth, how can you use cold water?" Then he hurriedly slapped himself lightly, "You've made me start talking nonsense too. Your delivery must have been smooth, how could you faint from postpartum hemorrhage?"

That's right. The midwife checks the baby's position once a day, and the doctor takes the baby's pulse every three days. Plus, I'm quite strong. It would be strange if something went wrong. Xiao Yuan asked him to help her turn over, and hugged him, asking, "Second Brother, I heard that among the 'essential items for childbirth' that Madam Xin sent to my stepmother, there was dried horse manure and horsehide? What are those for?"

Chapter 144 Adding a Child

Mu Tian laughed, "That's witchcraft. They spread horse manure under the birthing bed and cover it with a cloth; supposedly, it can induce labor." With her stepmother giving birth on the bed and horse manure on the floor, Xiao Yuan shuddered and exclaimed, "I'd rather hold a horse bit than have a room full of horse manure!" Cheng Mutian said, "That's because your stepmother is old and it's her first child, so she's acting all serious. Why should we follow her example?" He then touched her belly, which was close to delivery but not very big, and said worriedly, "You're not showing much at all. I think your stepmother's belly is bigger than yours." Xiao Yuan replied, "She's only eight months along, and she's already got such a big belly. She'll suffer a lot during childbirth."

The two talked for a while and then fell asleep in each other's arms. In the following days, Cheng Mutian personally took care of everything, preparing all the necessary items according to the two "essential items for childbirth" lists. He also invited the midwives who had delivered Wu Ge to move into the west wing in advance to be on standby.

At midnight on the summer solstice, Xiao Yuan's belly started to hurt. Cheng Mutian was still thinking about how she wanted to eat cake when she gave birth to Wu Ge, but she didn't get to. He hurriedly urged Cai Lian to go to the kitchen to make dough. However, this was Xiao Yuan's second pregnancy, and the labor time was much shorter. She gave birth to a son before dinner time and named him Chen Ge according to the time of birth.

Cheng Mutian held his second son, whose little face was still wrinkled, and said dejectedly, "Last time your mother gave birth to your brother on an empty stomach, and this time she gave birth to you on an empty stomach." Xiao Yuan smiled and comforted him, "It's alright, the cake is just right for breakfast."

Wu Ge ran in, clamoring to hold his younger brother. He was not even two years old yet, so he couldn't lift him. Cheng Mutian tried to coax him a few times, but he couldn't suppress Wu Ge's enthusiasm for being a big brother for the first time. So he had to use a compromise: he found a chair, sat down, first put Wu Ge on his lap, then put Xiao Er in his arms, and wrapped his arms around the two of them.

The Cheng family welcomed another new member, none other than Master Cheng. Unfortunately, his health deteriorated rapidly after returning to the mansion. By the time Chen Ge turned one month old, he was bedridden and unable to even hold his grandson. With a sick man in the house, the baby's first birthday celebration was anything but lively; guests only stayed briefly before departing, with just a few close relatives remaining to bathe Chen Ge. Aunt Chen watched as the servants prepared a soup of pig bile, which she personally poured into the bathtub to wash the baby, claiming it would prevent sores and keep the skin smooth. Seeing the silence around her, she asked, "Master Cheng, when you were in the upstairs house, didn't you say your diabetes was improving? Why is your condition worse now that you've moved back?"

Sister Cheng blurted out through gritted teeth, "It must be because my stepmother and Aunt Ding have been pestering Father all day long, making him lose his health." Although what she said was true, how could a daughter talk about her father-in-law like that? Xiao Yuan blushed for her and said, "My stepmother was pregnant with Father's child, so it's only right that he has to take care of her. In my opinion, the main reason is that Father suffered in the apartment building. When he came home, he forgot that he had to avoid certain foods because of his diabetes, which aggravated his condition."

Sister Cheng complained, "Since you know the crux of the problem, why don't you try to persuade her?" Third Sister Cheng lived nearby and knew the details. Xiao Yuan retorted, "Sister, you don't know. My stepmother is very strict with her. She won't let me into their courtyard, let alone my brother and sister-in-law. Even when I come back to pay my respects, she won't let me in. We can't even see Father. How can we persuade him?"

Sister Cheng suddenly realized, and said angrily, "Last time I came to see Father, the maidservant in Mother's room said that he had just gone to bed and couldn't see anyone. It turns out that was just an excuse. Is she doing this because she's afraid that we'll gossip in front of Father and take away the family property from the child in her belly? It's still uncertain whether it will be a boy or a girl, but she's already on guard against people."

Cheng San Niang, being more thoughtful, quickly pulled her aside and whispered, "The midwife Wang, who checked on your Aunt Ji's pregnancy, was invited by the stepmother. She said she's also carrying a boy, which is why she's so desperately protecting her food." Cheng Da Jie sneered, "She's stupid. So what if she gave birth to a son? The eldest brother is still weak. She still has to live at Erlang's mercy. Just you wait, she'll suffer the consequences."

Just then, Cheng Mutian returned from Master Cheng's place. He said angrily, "I went to ask Father to name Brother Chen. My stepmother actually stopped me from coming in. She only sent someone to pass me a note." Xiao Yuan took the note and showed it to everyone. It read "Cheng Ziyun." Aunt Chen comforted them, saying, "Brother Chen was born at Chen hour (7-9 AM). That's 'Yun' (昀). It's an excellent name. Master Cheng must be in good health."

Hearing this, Sister Cheng felt a little relieved, but she was still very worried about her father. For the first time, she boldly scolded Cheng Mutian: "Aren't you the most filial? Why didn't you force your way in to see Father?" Cheng Mutian said with a stern face: "As long as Father can name himself, there's nothing seriously wrong. Do you know whether it was my stepmother's wish or Father's own wish that she wouldn't let me in?"

He, as a son, was afraid of his father, hence his concern. Sister Cheng, however, feared neither. She rushed to the front courtyard, first slapping the two old women guarding the gate. Feeling her hands hurt from the slapping, she went to the servants' quarters and found a clothes-beating stick thicker than her arm. Carrying it, she returned to the second courtyard, claiming she wanted to see Master Cheng.

The old woman guarding the courtyard gate had experienced her fierceness before and dared not stop her again. But the one guarding Master Cheng's room was Little Copper Coin. Naturally, she blocked the door, refusing to let her in. Sister Cheng, however, didn't say a word. Without uttering a sound, she swung her clothes-beating stick and struck Little Copper Coin's leg. Little Copper Coin jumped around in pain.

She was hitting with such gusto, her eyes glued to the leg in front of her, forgetting to look up. It wasn't until she heard Madam Qian's piercing scream that she realized she'd hit the wrong person. A flicker of fear rose in her heart, but she gripped the clothes-beating stick even tighter. "What? I'm hitting your leg, not your stomach. It won't hurt your son."

Madam Qian was in so much pain that tears streamed down her face. Her legs gave way, and she slid to the ground. Little Copper Coin had just been beaten more than a dozen times by Sister Cheng, and his legs were swollen like radishes. When he came to help her up, he was too weak to support her and could only watch helplessly as she sat down on the ground, blood immediately flowing from beneath her.

When Sister Cheng saw this, she was really frightened. She didn't dare to go in to see Master Cheng. She didn't even bother to say goodbye to Xiao Yuan. She dropped the clothes-beating stick and hurriedly hid at home.

In the third courtyard, Xiao Yuan had just seen off Aunt Chen and was chatting and laughing with Cheng Mutian and Cheng San Niang: "Eldest Sister hasn't come back for half a day, she must have seen Father already, she's really capable." Cheng San Niang was worried about Gan Shier, who had returned home earlier, and didn't want to wait any longer, so she got up to say goodbye and walked out along the alley. When she passed the side gate of the second courtyard, she suddenly heard Madam Qian's screams from inside, and hurriedly asked the old woman guarding the gate. The old woman was hired by Madam Qian, and after being charged a dozen coins, she gestured and said: "Madam had Eldest Sister hit her several times with such a thick clothes-beating stick, and she immediately went into labor. Judging from this, she's probably going to have a premature birth."

Cheng San Niang was so shocked she almost lost her balance. She managed to defend her eldest sister, saying, "Mother was about to give birth anyway, it's not that early." She held onto her maid's hand and hobbled back to the small round room to tell them the astonishing news.

Cheng Mutian's expression remained unchanged. What did the trouble caused by Sister Cheng have to do with him? As for Madam Qian's premature birth, it was something he was happy to see. Xiao Yuan's face was also expressionless. Sister Cheng was a married daughter, and Madam Qian couldn't make things difficult for her. Even if something happened, no matter how angry Master Cheng was, he wouldn't let anyone take his most beloved daughter to court.

Seeing their remarkable composure, Cheng San Niang didn't know what to say. She sat silently for a while, and gradually she figured things out herself. She got up to take her leave, saying, "I'm afraid my elder sister is still worried at home. I'll go and tell her."

Xiao Yuan escorted her to the door, ordered someone to prepare a sedan chair for her, and when she turned back, she stood at the entrance where the third courtyard met the second courtyard. Seeing that no one had come to inform her, she pretended not to know and turned back to her room.