El paisaje es como una pintura

Capítulo 58

Cheng Mutian shared the same thought. After dinner, he returned to his room and worriedly said, "Wu-ge is cunning, but he doesn't know how to guard against people. What should we do?" Xiao Yuan, while looking through the Dragon Boat Festival items he had bought, said, "Send him to his stepmother's for a few days, and he'll understand." Cheng Mutian walked over to her and patted her on the waist: "Nonsense." Then he laughed: "I'm being impatient again. He's only a few years old, and I'm already worrying about this. There's plenty of time to teach him. Let's take the Yang family's case as an example first."

Xiao Yuan smiled, fiddling with the two small drums on the table. One hung on a small wooden frame, the other rested on a seat. After playing with them for a while, she suddenly asked, "Why are there only two?" Cheng Mutian put his arm around her waist from behind, rested his chin on her shoulder, and laughed, "Brother Wu has one, Brother Chen has one, isn't that two? If you want another one, you'll have to work harder." Xiao Yuan tapped the drum with her drumstick and scolded, "You've been so unserious since you came into the room. I'm talking to you seriously, where is Fourth Sister's side?" Cheng Mutian... He replied honestly, "I forgot." Seeing Xiaoyuan's brows furrow, he quickly pulled out several small fans and placed them in front of her, saying, "Use these to appease her." Xiaoyuan picked up the fans and examined them. There were four colors: blue, yellow, red, and white, each with a different design. Some were embroidered, some were painted, some were embroidered with gold thread, and some were multicolored. She picked out a white fan embroidered with plum blossoms and said, "Fourth Sister was born in winter, so this is for her." Then she picked out a blue fan embroidered with lotus seeds, chuckling, "I'll do as you say, just for good luck. I'll keep this one for myself."

Cheng Mutian shook his head, opened a small box, and took out another round fan to show her, saying, "Those are things for children. What do you want them for? Here are some better ones for you." Xiao Yuan looked at it in his hand. The fan itself wasn't anything special, but the beautiful woman painted on it looked so familiar. She looked at it again and again, then suddenly rushed to the display stand and looked at herself, exclaiming in surprise, "That fan paints me!" Cheng Mutian laughed at her, "This was painted by the best painter in the Chen family's fan painting shop, yet it took you so long to recognize it." Xiao Yuan stepped on his foot, snatched the fan, sat down in front of the display stand, looked at it again and again, and sighed, "The painter has never seen me, how could he paint me so vividly?" Cheng Mutian kissed her smooth, delicate neck and chuckled, "That's because I described it well."

They remained calm and collected, awaiting the court hearing, while their relatives in Lin'an were in a state of great anxiety. Aunt Chen, having heard some rumors, couldn't sit still at home and hired a carriage to rush into the mountains. She grabbed Xiao Yuan and anxiously asked, "Fourth Aunt, everyone in the city is saying your Second Master has taken a new concubine, is it true?" This was truly a mother's concern; she didn't care about the concubine being harassed, only about her daughter's happiness. Xiao Yuan felt a warmth in her heart, took her hand tightly, and led her into the room to sit down. She told her the truth, saying, "It's just a ruse. Don't you know what kind of person Second Master is? Sending a concubine to him would scare him to death. I'm telling you this now, Aunt, because the case isn't settled yet, and we need to cover for us." Aunt Chen was relieved and nodded with a smile, "Of course, but I'm afraid that once I come into the mountains, even more people will believe it."

Xiao Yuan led her out to see the mountain scenery. Because of her bound feet, she called two servants to carry a sedan chair for her. When they reached the top of the mountain, Aunt Chen looked out into the distance. The hillside was covered with fir trees and bamboo forests. Looking down into the valley, she saw fat sheep being raised. Looking at the fields next to her, she saw sorghum being planted. She sincerely praised, "My daughter is really good at managing a household."

Xiao Yuan took her arm and pointed to the other side of the mountain, saying, "We just bought a paddy field on that side of the mountain in that village. Auntie, come and eat the grain we grow ourselves next year." Aunt Chen was surprised and said, "You're going to stay here? Aren't you worried about the Yang family causing trouble?" Xiao Yuan didn't care and said, "There are petty people everywhere. The more we fear them, the more arrogant they become. It's better if they fear us. Besides, I'd rather be near the Yang family than near my mother-in-law's." She pulled Aunt Chen to the other side and pointed to the Yang family village at the foot of the mountain, saying, "Auntie, look at their village. They only have a few acres of vegetable fields. They didn't even manage to buy the paddy field this time. They'll be begging us for a lot of things in the future." Seeing that her daughter was both strong-willed and decisive, Aunt Chen nodded with relief. Her bound feet couldn't stand for long, and after walking around for another fifteen minutes, she couldn't continue and had to take the sedan chair back to the house.

Xiao Yuan took out two small fans that Cheng Mutian had bought and asked Aunt Chen to take them back to play with Yu Niang. Aunt Chen smiled and said, "I came in such a hurry that I forgot the Dragon Boat Festival is coming soon and I didn't bring you any festival gifts. Oh well, I'll make you a few 'hundred-knot threads' now." Xiao Yuan knew that her aunt was skillful and that the 'hundred-knot threads' she made were a hundred times better than those bought outside, so she didn't refuse without asking someone to bring her colorful silk threads and gave them to Aunt Chen.

While making "hundred-knot" (a type of traditional Chinese stringed instrument), Aunt Chen chatted with her daughter: "The Dragon Boat Festival is the summer solstice, when yin energy begins to emerge, so people make drums, fans, and hundred-knots to ward off evil spirits and prevent disease." Wu Ge, lying on Aunt Chen's lap, began to flatter her: "My mother never tells me this; she only teaches me to recite the poem: 'Since we've tied a hundred-knot of love, may our children tie it themselves.'" Chen Ge, sitting in Xiao Yuan's lap, corrected him: "Brother, that's a phrase, not a poem." Wu Ge blushed deeply and pounced on Chen Ge's armpits. Xiao Yuan, while protecting Chen Ge, laughed and said, "You always just tickle him; you should try something new." Wu Ge pinched Chen Ge's face twice, pouting, and said, "He's as thin as a bean sprout. If I hit him too hard, I'm afraid it will hurt him. What else can he do besides tickle him?" Aunt Chen smiled as she watched the three of them laughing and joking, and said, "Wu Ge is sensible, and Chen Ge is well-behaved. My daughter is lucky." Xiao Yuan took Wu Ge's words to heart. Bean sprout? She pinched Chen Ge's arm, then Wu Ge's arm. The former was indeed much thinner. She said, "Chen Ge, from now on, you'll go practice boxing with your brother in the afternoons." Chen Ge was unwilling, saying, "I don't like practicing boxing."

Xiao Yuan was about to persuade him again when Aunt Chen laughed and said, "These days, people at fitness centers aren't really into boxing. You'll have some free time, so take Chen Ge to see one." Before Xiao Yuan could answer, Wu Ge replied with a "Okay," and then threatened Chen Ge, "Don't say 'no,' or I won't take you to play." Under his brother's coercion, Chen Ge reluctantly nodded. Xiao Yuan was overjoyed; it turned out that her brother's words were more effective than her mother's. She would have to make better use of them in the future.

Back in their room that evening, Cheng Mutian, upon hearing about the plan to take Chen Ge to the fitness center, wholeheartedly agreed, saying, "This child eats well, but he studies too hard. He should set aside some time to exercise. Since we're going to the fitness center, and the Dragon Boat Festival is approaching, why don't we send Aunt Chen down the mountain on the first day of the fifth lunar month and check on how Third Sister's artificial flower workshop is doing?" Xiao Yuan asked curiously, "Why the first day of the fifth lunar month?" Cheng Mutian explained, "You didn't know before you couldn't go out, but from the beginning of the fifth lunar month until the Dragon Boat Festival, for several days in a row, the streets are full of flower vendors. Third Sister's artificial flower workshop has a share in it, so why not take advantage of the good business to check it out?" Xiao Yuan nodded in agreement, "It'll be a good opportunity to prepare A Yun's dowry, finish all the errands at once, and then we can prepare for the lawsuit when we get back."

Chapter 175 Duan Yi

The first day of the fifth lunar month was called "Duanyi" by the Song people. Every household went to the streets to buy "hundred-thread ropes" to give as gifts to relatives and friends on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which was the Dragon Boat Festival. Xiao Yuan first sent Aunt Chen home, and then, with her son and Cheng Si Niang, followed Cheng Mutian in a large cart. Along the way, the singing of flower vendors echoed through the streets and alleys of Lin'an. Lifting the curtain to look closely, they saw that the city's residents had bought peach, willow, sunflower, pomegranate, and cattail leaves, and planted these flowers in a large pot, placing them at their doorsteps, hanging five-colored coins on top, and arranging fruit dumplings as offerings. Even families without vases would find a jar to put flowers in. Normally, no one would be ashamed of not having flowers, but on the Dragon Boat Festival, one could not do without offering flowers. For a time, every household was filled with the vibrant colors of sunflowers and pomegranates, and the fragrance of mugwort and gardenias filled the air. Cheng Mutian laughed and said, "I heard that dozens of large golden vases, filled with mugwort, gardenias, sunflowers, and pomegranates, also stand in the corridors of the palace."

At noon, every household in the city lit an incense stick, enveloping the entire city in wisps of fragrant smoke. Cheng Mutian, acting as the commentator, said, "Throughout May, the incense burns continuously every noon. Lin'an is about to become a city of incense." Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "I only knew that my own family had to light incense before, but I never imagined what a grand scene it would be if the whole city lit incense at the same time."

Upon arriving at Xiangcheng Sanniang's house, she was still busy in the back, while Xiaoyuan's family sat down in the hall first. Although it was only the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the room was already decorated with a festive atmosphere. In the center of a red gauze and gold plate hung an image of Zhang Tianshi riding a tiger, carved from calamus. On the left and right sides hung white calamus silk and herbal frost, on which were carved centipedes, snakes, scorpions, lizards, and other "poisonous insects," surrounded by many mugwort flowers. Chen Ge pointed to the herbal frost and asked, "Mother, what is this for?" Having managed the household for many years, Xiaoyuan was most familiar with the festive items in the house, and immediately replied, "Herbal medicine to ward off plague. We will collect herbs to make medicine for the Dragon Boat Festival to prevent the plague."

Cheng San Niang brought in a bottle of artificial sunflowers and pomegranates, smiling, "Sister-in-law, you've come to see my business?" Xiao Yuan saw her beaming face and assumed business was booming, so she happily replied, "Your nephews were clamoring to come and see your aunt's big business." Since Xiao Yuan was a shareholder, Cheng San Niang didn't hide anything or be modest, and told the truth, "These past few days, wealthy families have been buying real flowers. Artificial flowers are usually expensive, and poor families can't afford them, but our costs are low, so we can sell them at a low price. Those poor people who can't afford real flowers are all scrambling to buy a few artificial flowers to take home. The profit is small, but the volume is large, so we've still made a few bucks."

Wu Ge cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Congratulations, Auntie, on your fortune." Cheng San Niang smiled broadly, yet remained modest, "What fortune? I heard that in Lin'an City alone, the 'Duan Yi' tea shop alone brought in over ten thousand strings of cash in one morning. What I've earned is just a small amount." She personally changed the tea for her brother and sister-in-law, then gave them some money and told the maids to take Wu Ge and Chen Ge out for some fun.

Xiao Yuan sighed inwardly. This woman was truly wealthy and had a strong backbone. She acted generously and exuded the aura of a matriarch. She was no longer the timid and cowardly Cheng San Niang who would only cry and complain to her sister-in-law when something happened.

Cheng San Niang asked, "Did you come all this way to see me, brother and sister-in-law?" Xiao Yuan retorted, "Just say what you want to say." Cheng San Niang glanced at Cheng Mutian and cautiously asked, "Brother, have you taken a concubine?" Cheng Mutian frowned, "That's none of your business." Before the court session began, Xiao Yuan didn't want to gossip, so she made up some rumors to cover it up. Cheng San Niang thought she had touched on her sister-in-law's painful past and felt very guilty, so she quickly changed the subject.

After having lunch at Cheng San Niang's house, and then visiting the bionic flower workshop behind the house, Xiao Yuan's family got up to say goodbye, saying they were going shopping. Cheng San Niang asked, "You probably won't be able to get back today. Will you come to my house to rest tonight?" Cheng Mutian shook his head and said, "The villa is in the east of the city. We'll rest there." Knowing her brother's temperament, Cheng San Niang didn't try to keep them any longer. She took the little girl's hand and saw them to the alley entrance.

Once outside the alley, they reached Imperial Street. Xiao Yuan immediately wanted to stroll around, but Cheng Mutian said, "The night market is more lively in the evening. Let's go to the fitness center first, or it might be closed." Upon hearing this, Wu Ge cheered, while Chen Ge looked distressed. Xiao Yuan, seeing her two sons' contrasting reactions, secretly found it amusing. She asked A Cai to hire a few sedan chairs by the roadside, and the family rode there towards the fitness center.

They had barely entered the room and hadn't even had a chance to greet Master Xue when they were startled by an old man kneeling in court. Wu Ge yelled and dodged to the side, "This will shorten your lifespan!" Master Xue quickly came over and explained, "He's just exercising."

While kneeling and bowing, blood flow is regulated, which is indeed beneficial to health. However, Cheng Mutian and Xiao Yuan both shook their heads, not intending to let Brother Chen learn this rather unique fitness method.

Master Xue saw what they meant and led them inside, saying to Xiao Yuan, "Your aunt already told me at noon that Brother Chen wants to exercise his muscles and bones, but doesn't want to practice boxing. It just so happens that we have created a new fitness method, and I'll have Sun Dalang demonstrate it for you."

Sun Dalang responded and came over, standing in the area. He first bent and stretched his limbs, then gently swayed his forearms from side to side, drawing a bow with his left and right hands, twisting his waist and hips from side to side, sometimes bending forward and sometimes backward. Xiao Yuan couldn't help but chuckle; wasn't this just a set of exercises? They were really quick-witted. Chen Ge followed Brother Sun's movements for a while and found it much simpler than practicing boxing, immediately saying, "Mom, I want to practice this." Hearing his request, Xiao Yuan left him and Wu Ge there to learn, while she and Cheng Mutian went to the pavilion to have tea.

This fitness center has a front hall and a back garden, and it is decorated in a very elegant manner. Master Xue introduced, "Our membership fee has increased again this year. Only those who pay ten strings of cash a year are eligible to come and stroll in the back garden."

An ordinary family's monthly income is only three strings of cash, but the annual membership fee here is ten strings of cash, truly taking the high-end route. The fitness center and the mountain manor were both part of Xiao Yuan's dowry, but the income is worlds apart. Xiao Yuan sighed, "When will the farmers be able to earn as much as the employees of the fitness center?"

Before long, Wu Ge and Chen Ge finished learning the exercises. One of them ran over with a booklet and said, "Mother, we've all learned them. Sun Dalang even gave us a teaching booklet, saying that we can refer to it if we forget the movements." Xiao Yuan thanked Master Xue, and the family got back into the sedan chair and headed towards the villa where Madam Qian lived in the east of the city.

A-Yun was peeking out from the doorway when she saw them alight from the sedan chair and hurried to greet them. Xiao-Yuan teased her, "We'll prepare your dowry when we go to the night market tonight, don't be in such a hurry." A-Yun was burning with anxiety, not even having time to feel ashamed, and disregarding etiquette, she grabbed Xiao-Yuan and pulled her towards the house, saying urgently, "Young Madam, hurry, hurry! Eldest Sister is fighting with Madam because of you. If you're any later, someone might get killed."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuan and Cheng Mutian rushed into the second gate, and sure enough, Sister Cheng and Madam Qian were wrestling in a tangled mess, their hair disheveled and their clothes torn. Xiao Yuan quickly ordered the servants to pull them apart, but Cheng Mutian stood by and watched, saying, "What's going on? Is it fashionable to beat people these days?" When Sister Cheng saw them arrive, she stopped fighting. While calling for someone to help her redo her hair and straighten her clothes, she said, "Today, the flower-selling old woman came to our house to sell flowers and told me that because your concubine was harassed, your stepmother is gloating everywhere, as if she wants everyone to know."

Although the incident was fabricated, the fact that a concubine had been harassed was still a shameful matter. Cheng Mutian already hated Madam Qian, and now he was even more furious. With a stern face, he ordered several servants, "Madam is tired, help her inside to rest." Madam Qian, seeing that they always confined her as soon as they arrived, immediately began to cry and make a scene. Cheng's eldest sister was not a kind person, and she would not let her have her way. She found a rag and stuffed it into Madam Qian's mouth, then had her dragged inside. After dealing with her stepmother, she went to Xiao Yuan to ask for confirmation: "Was your concubine really harassed by the neighbor? Who is that neighbor? He should be beaten to death."

The reason why Master Yang moved to the mountains was related to He Yaohong, but Xiao Yuan naturally didn't want to tell the truth, only shaking her head and saying she didn't know. With Cheng Mutian there, Sister Cheng felt uncomfortable sitting there, so she said she was tired from fighting and needed to go back to rest, and got up to leave.

Sister-in-law Yu brought Zhonglang to pay his respects. Although the child had learned to bow, he couldn't greet people. When Cheng Mutian saw his dazed look, he was very annoyed. His face darkened and his eyes widened, scaring the boy into tears. Xiaoyuan quickly went over to comfort her brother-in-law, scolding him, "Can't you be kinder to your siblings? Look at them, they're all afraid of you."

Cheng Mutian didn't care. The crying was bothering him, so he waved for someone to take him away and said decisively, "I'll bring him up the mountain to study next year, and I'll personally discipline him." Wu Ge slid down from the chair, excitedly waved his fist, and said, "I'll take care of him. I guarantee he'll listen." Xiao Yuan slapped him on the head and scolded, "That's your uncle. Don't be so disrespectful."

They sat there for a long time before A-Yun brought out four cups of drinks, complaining, "Madam is so stingy these days, she hides everything in her room. I searched for ages but couldn't find any tea leaves, so I had to go to the door and buy a few bowls of drinks from the vendor." Cheng Mutian frowned and was about to speak when Xiao Yuan said, "Saving is better than being extravagant, otherwise the little money Father left behind won't even last until Zhonglang comes of age."

Wu Ge and Chen Ge complained that the drinks sold outside didn't taste good and insisted on drinking lychee syrup water. Cheng Mutian didn't want to stay there any longer, so he said, "Let's go outside for a walk, have dinner, stroll through the night market, and then come back to rest." Xiao Yuan knew that he would only be upset if he stayed here with his stepmother and brothers, so she agreed and took the children out to ride in sedan chairs. She also called A Yun along and took her to prepare her dowry.

Ayun, who usually spoke of marriage without blushing, became shy and said, "Why should I go see? The young mistress can decide." Xiaoyuan straightened the artificial flower in her hair and said, "You're the one who's getting married and living your life. How can it be okay if you don't buy something practical and to your liking?" Ayun then shyly agreed in a low voice, called over a sedan chair by the roadside, sat down, and followed Xiaoyuan's sedan chair into the street.

Chapter 176 Musk Rice Dumplings

Cheng Mutian originally planned to have the whole family eat at the main restaurant first, but the big and small children all insisted on going to the night market to try the snacks. Although he was the head of the family, he couldn't go against his wife and sons at this time, so he had to change direction and go straight to the night market.

Although there are many stalls in the night market, they are all arranged in different areas according to the different uses or categories of goods, forming special commercial areas. Fortune tellers make a living in one place, snack vendors in another, craftsmen in another, and scholars who dabble in literature in yet another. In addition, there are small business owners pushing carts and carrying loads, calling out their wares throughout the night market, and some people even balance large plates on their heads, filled with food, and hawk their wares everywhere.

During the Song Dynasty, vendors hawked their wares with unique calls, often accompanied by chanting. The vendors selling snacks each had their own distinctive cries, creating a lively and harmonious atmosphere in the night market. Cheng Mutian, worried that his family might go hungry, first took them to Zhong'an Bridge, where he bought the children red bean cakes and ten-colored flower candies. He then went to the entrance of Lion Lane to buy Xiaoyuan chicken noodle soup and seven-treasure kebabs. After everyone had eaten their fill, they were ready to explore the night market. However, a disagreement arose: Xiaoyuan wanted to take Ayun to buy her dowry, while the children wanted to see the acrobatics. They could have split up, but Cheng Mutian couldn't bear to leave either side alone. So, he bought a roulette wheel for the playful Wu Ge and molasses cakes for the sweet-toothed Chen Ge, coaxing them to accompany their mother to the shops first.

Xiao Yuan took A Yun to visit each shop. First, they bought a yellow straw tent, then a vest, and then a set of all sorts of daily necessities. A Yun was married better than the two maids before her, and Xiao Yuan wanted to favor her a little, but she was afraid of stirring up trouble between them, so after thinking about it, she decided against it.

After preparing the dowry and hiring a few servants, they had A-Yun lead the way back to the villa. Xiao Yuan and Cheng Mutian accompanied the children as they continued their stroll. Passing through the area where fortune tellers sold their services, they heard one of them shouting, "When fortune comes, buy land and get married!" He was soliciting business all over the street. Xiao Yuan smiled at Cheng Mutian and said, "Second Brother, do you want to have your fortune told?" Cheng Mutian laughed and said, "I already have land and a wife; my fortune has come. There's no need for a fortune teller." Taking advantage of the crowd and the darkness, Xiao Yuan secretly extended her little finger and hooked it around Cheng Mutian's hand under her sleeve. He moved slightly but didn't pull away. Xiao Yuan was overjoyed, and the lights in the night market seemed exceptionally bright to her.

In front of the tiled roof on Wujianlou Street, there was a tea-selling old woman with three gold flowers on her face. She tapped a teacup, swayed her head, and called out to the rhythm, attracting bursts of laughter from passersby and tourists. There was also a sugar seller who sang a nice tune while selling sugar. At one end of his carrying pole was a small container with several fish and turtles inside. He dressed them in puppet masks to attract children to his sugar stall.

Wu Ge and Chen Ge couldn't tear themselves away from the stall, and even Cheng Si Niang went over to take a look. Although Xiao Yuan knew that eating too much candy was bad since they had finally come out, she couldn't bring herself to drag them away. So she took out some money and bought a piece of bayberry candy for each of them, and also packed a few extra pieces to take back to Zhong Lang.

The couple each led one of their sons, while the wet nurse led Cheng Si Niang. They strolled around until the third or fourth watch of the night before returning to their villa to rest. Early the next morning, Xiao Yuan gave the bayberry candy to Sister-in-law Yu and gave A Yun a few more instructions. The family then ended their "Duan Yi" trip and boarded the car to return to the mountain.

Upon arriving home, Xiaoyuan busied herself, leading the cooks to finely shred calamus, shiitake mushrooms, apricots, plums, and perilla leaves, sprinkling them with salt and sun-drying them to make a Dragon Boat Festival treat called "Hundred Herbs Head." She also soaked plums in molasses to make plum-flavored candy. Wu Ge and Chen Ge, one on each side of their mother, would sneak a bite of an apricot or a plum every now and then. They had no snacks at home, yet they insisted on crowding around to steal bites. Xiaoyuan found it amusing, yet also felt a warmth in her heart, so she pretended not to see and let them be so unruly.

On the Dragon Boat Festival, the cooks arranged various kinds of zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) into the shapes of pavilions, towers, and boats, and placed them in the hall for display. Xiao Yuan personally watched the water clock, and at noon, she ordered the servants to make "red-mouthed and white-tongued posters" out of green silk, nail them to the wall, and say, "May all red-mouthed and white-tongued words be eliminated."

Before the postcards were even finished being nailed, A-Cai brought in a large plate of zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), exclaiming in surprise, "Young Madam, the Yang family has actually sent zongzi over!" Xiao-Yuan was also surprised and told her to put the plate on the table. Upon closer inspection, she saw zongzi of all shapes and sizes—horn-shaped, cone-shaped, rhombus-shaped, and hammer-shaped—it didn't seem like a perfunctory effort. She became even more puzzled and ordered the servants to open them one by one. There were nine-seed zongzi, chestnut zongzi, walnut zongzi, ginger and cinnamon zongzi, one of each. The rest were all musk-scented zongzi. She picked up a musk-scented zongzi, feeling both angry and amused: "I already have two sons, so what's wrong with eating a few musk-scented zongzi? But isn't she afraid that if she smells too much musk, she won't be able to have any more sons?" A-Cai said, "She's just jealous that the young madam has sons. Why bother with her?"

Cheng Mutian still found it strange, so he brought the musk-scented rice dumpling to Cheng Mutian and said, "It's obvious that he's going to lose our lawsuit against his family, so why is he still so arrogant?"

Cheng Mutian had been harboring a question in his heart, but seeing the Yang family openly deliver musk-scented rice dumplings to their home, he finally couldn't help but ask, "Wife, why did that man surnamed Yang try to seduce you?" Xiao Yuan didn't understand his meaning at first, her face flushed red, and she asked back, "What do you mean? Do you also distrust me like those servants?" Seeing that she had misunderstood, Cheng Mutian hurriedly waved his hand and explained, "Others who have affairs are afraid of being seen, but he is the exact opposite, insisting on doing it in front of so many servants. Don't you find that strange?"

After hearing this, Xiaoyuan also became puzzled: "It really is like that. I've only met him once, and we haven't had any interaction. Why would he suddenly come and flirt with me? Moreover, that box of official powder was given to you, not to me. He also claimed in front of you that it was a gift from Madam Yang. Why did he insist that he gave it to me privately in front of the servants that day?"

Cheng Mutian slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "I think he's just trying to frame you." Xiao Yuan asked, puzzled: "What good will it do him to ruin my reputation?" Cheng Mutian couldn't understand it either. Just as the two were about to analyze it, their two sons came running, saying they were hungry and wanted to eat. The couple exchanged a helpless smile, each taking one of their sons' hands, and went to the dining room to eat zongzi (sticky rice dumplings).

Wu Ge loves meat, so Cheng Mutian peeled a pork and salted egg zongzi for him. He then started peeling one for Chen Ge, but Chen Ge said, "I want a zongzi with maltose." Xiao Yuan glanced at the table and saw the zongzi, then said, "You always eat sweets, be careful your teeth don't rot." Chen Ge lowered his head and didn't say anything. Cheng Mutian loved his son, so he quickly ordered the kitchen to cut bamboo to make zongzi. Xiao Yuan scolded, "Look how you spoil him." Despite her scolding, she resignedly stood up and went to the kitchen to pick out the dates, chestnuts, and walnuts that Chen Ge liked, mixed them into the glutinous rice, and prepared to put them into bamboo zongzi to steam.

When she sat down again, the servant who had been cutting bamboo returned, but he wasn't carrying any bamboo shoots. He said, "The people from Yang Family Village were stealing our bamboo. They must be making zongzi too. I was going to scold them, but I overheard them talking about the young mistress, so I forgot about cutting bamboo and eavesdropped the whole way." Cheng Mutian quickly said, "I don't blame you for being late. Tell me quickly." The servant said, "Those servants from Yang Family Village said their mistress is stupid and thinks their master really has an affair with our young mistress. They specially sent someone to deliver musk-scented zongzi. Actually, their master is just trying to ruin her reputation as revenge because he has a grudge against our young mistress."

"A grudge?" Cheng Mutian and Xiaoyuan exchanged a glance, then Cheng Mutian asked, "Did they say what the grudge was?" The servant shook his head and said, "They didn't say anything before they finished cutting the bamboo and left, so I didn't hear them." He scratched his head and asked, "Young master, should we take a few guards and storm Yang Family Village to take back the bamboo?" Xiaoyuan laughed and said, "We didn't catch them on the spot, so what's the use of going now? There's no mark on our bamboo. You can go back to cutting the bamboo, and just pretend you didn't hear anything about what happened today."

After the servant left, Cheng Mutian snorted coldly, "Only our family has bamboo in this whole mountain. What's wrong with accusing him of theft?" Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "Haven't you heard what Tian Da's wife said? Country customs are different from those in the city. If neighbors pick a few vegetables to eat or cut a few bamboo stalks, it's not considered stealing."

Cheng Mutian muttered unwillingly, "What a ridiculous custom." Wu Ge moved closer to his ear and whispered, "Dad, since stealing in the countryside doesn't count as stealing, then I'll go steal their vegetables." Cheng Mutian laughed and tugged at his ear, saying, "Those few wilted vegetables, I wouldn't even take them if they were given to me, and you still want to steal them."

Xiao Yuan gathered the remaining zongzi into a plate and said, "Her family sent musk-scented zongzi, what should we give in return?" Cheng Mutian pressed down on the table, stood up, went to his room to grind ink and wrote a few words. He came out and handed them to her, saying, "Go tell her the time of the court hearing, that will be our return gift." Xiao Yuan, like him, was also quite angry with the Yang family. She neatly folded the paper, put it in a gilded box, and had it sent over.

Although Master Yang's injuries were not fully healed, he was already able to walk. In order to delay the start of the court session, he had been pretending to be ill. Now that he had received Cheng Mutian's "final ultimatum," he hurriedly asked the maidservant next to him, "Do you know why the Cheng family can't wait any longer?" The maidservant gestured towards the main room where Madam Yang lived and said, "Madam sent a plate of musk-scented rice dumplings to the Cheng family. It must be that the young mistress of the Cheng family is angry."

"Foolish!" Master Yang slammed a plate of zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) onto the ground and ordered his maid to summon Madam Yang. The maid walked to the door of the main room and stood by the doorframe, saying, "Madam, Master requests your presence." Seeing that she dared not approach, Madam Yang grew somewhat angry and asked, "What do you want with me?" The maid, of course, would not admit that she had betrayed him, and simply shook her head. Madam Yang did not ask further, smoothed her hair, and got up to go to the west wing. As she passed the door, she suddenly plunged a hairpin into the maid's hand and cursed, "You little slut, Master's injury hasn't healed yet, and you're already hogging him." The maid dared not contradict him to his face and silently endured the pain.

Madam Yang put the still-bloody hairpin back into her hair, took the little maid's hand and walked to Master Yang, asking, "Master, did Mingjie make you angry? Tell me, and I'll punish her." Master Yang didn't say a word, but first raised his hand and slapped her twice, making her see stars. He angrily cursed, "You dare to send musk-scented rice dumplings to the Cheng family behind my back!"

Madam Yang had initially suspected his affair with Xiaoyuan, but seeing him defend Xiaoyuan in front of her confirmed the accusation. Covering her face, she pleaded, "Master, whatever kind of woman you want, I'll buy her for you. Why bother seducing other people's wives? You flirted with the Cheng family's concubine, and they sued you in court. The lawsuit hasn't been withdrawn yet. Why are you eyeing someone else's wife now?"

Mr. Yang was so enraged by her words that his blood rushed to his head. He regretted, "I, Mr. Yang, must have been blind to marry such a fool as you." Mrs. Yang dared not retort, thinking to herself, "You only wanted my generous dowry." Mr. Yang handed her the paper Cheng Mutian had written and scolded, "The Cheng family said they'd call the court in three days. It's all because of that plate of musk-scented rice dumplings you made."

Madam Yang read the paper carefully and, seeing the clear writing in black and white, became frightened. She repeatedly asked Master Yang what to do. Master Yang glared at her: "Now you're scared? Behave yourself from now on, or I'll divorce you." He chased Madam Yang out, called back his maidservant, and prepared to rest. The maidservant showed him her bleeding hand, crying, "Master, Madam pricked me." Master Yang had thought it was a maidservant's duty to avenge his wife, but these hands reminded him of Su Niang's birth mother, who had been forced to leave. He was filled with rage and rushed into Madam Yang's room, giving her a sound beating before returning to the west wing to sleep with his maidservant.

The next day, Master Yang got up and asked his maid to fetch water to help him wash up. He went to Madam Yang's room and ordered her to prepare a generous gift. He carried the gift box in his left hand and deliberately leaned on a cane with his right hand. He then led several servants to the Cheng family to request an audience with Cheng Mutian and Xiaoyuan.

Xiao Yuan was about to send her two children to school when she heard that Master Yang had come to the door with gifts. She guessed that this was his reaction after receiving the note. She instructed the wet nurse to send Wu Ge and Chen Ge to school and then asked Cheng Mutian to meet Master Yang. She herself hid in the inner room to eavesdrop.

Mr. Yang was quite disappointed not to see Xiao Yuan. He placed the gift box on the table, gave Cheng Mutian a casual bow, and said, "I have offended you greatly these past few days. I hope Young Master Cheng will forgive me." Cheng Mutian pretended not to understand and continued blowing on the tea foam from his cup. Seeing him sitting there like a statue, Mr. Yang had no choice but to explain his purpose: "We are the only two families living next door in these mountains. What good will it do to have a falling out? It would be better for us to compromise and make things convenient for each other."

Chapter 177 Pregnant Again

Cheng Mutian did not put down his teacup, but his gaze was subtly scrutinizing the old man in front of him. He wore a black and white turban, a matching shirt, and thick-soled boots. He was a man of refined taste, but how could he speak so shamelessly?

Perhaps sensing his disdainful gaze, Master Yang asked in a casual tone, "Does Young Master Cheng know He Yaohong of the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office?" Cheng Mutian was first surprised, then realized why the servant had said he had a grudge against Xiaoyuan; it turned out he had a grudge against her third brother and was taking it out on her. He put down his teacup, deciding to clarify the matter, saying, "He Yaohong is my wife's third brother, but he belongs to the He family. My wife is now a member of the Cheng family. What does the grudge between the He family and you have to do with the Cheng family?"

Master Yang was unconvinced. He didn't care whether the He family or the Cheng family was involved. Anyway, He Si Niang was He Lao San's younger sister. He stole my beloved concubine, so I had to ruin his sister's reputation. However, this revenge plan was probably impossible to complete now because I had to use the He Yao Hong matter to make a deal with Cheng Mu Tian. "Young Master Cheng, if you withdraw the lawsuit from the government office, I won't mention suing He Yao Hong. How about that? The crime you set for me is exactly the same as his, so you won't lose out."

Xiao Yuan, who was pressed her ear to the door, remembered that when Master Yang teased her that day, he didn't call her the young mistress of the Cheng family, but Madam He. He must have known about her relationship with He Yaohong for a long time, but she was so surprised at the time that she didn't notice.

Suddenly, the door was gently pushed open. Caught off guard, she stumbled and fell backward. Fortunately, Cheng Mutian reacted quickly and caught her, explaining, "There's nothing we can do about it. However, I didn't agree to his request regarding the paddy field." Xiao Yuan was confused: "What is it?"

Cheng Mutian laughed, "I thought you were acting like this because you heard my reply to him." Xiaoyuan told him about the incident that day when Master Yang called him Madam He, saying, "So he had a premeditated plan." Cheng Mutian comforted her, "So what if he had a premeditated plan? His scheme probably won't succeed. He's already used your third brother's case as an exchange with me. We'll withdraw the lawsuit, and he won't sue your third brother." Xiaoyuan said angrily, "This is an exchange? This is clearly blackmail." Cheng Mutian glanced at her and said helplessly, "What can we do about your third brother?" He then shook his head and sighed, "Your third brother is being led by the nose. That estate, he didn't draw up a written agreement to exchange the estate for a concubine, but rather an IOU. That's why the Yang family is so fearless."

Xiao Yuan gave a bitter smile and said, "Fine, consider it as me doing him a favor. Now that we have 'handle' on Master Yang, he probably won't dare to mess with Third Brother anymore." She sat down at the table, pressed a cup of hot tea to her face, closed her eyes for a long time, and asked, "Second Brother, what's the matter with the paddy fields?" Cheng Mutian sat down next to her, put his arm around her shoulder, and laughed, "What else could it be? It's just that he found out we leased the paddy fields and wants a few acres, but I didn't agree. Don't be angry about this; you should actually be gloating. I heard that before his family came to Lin'an, they had sold off all their property and now they only have some dead money. Now they've lost their land for food, so life will be tough for them. They'll come begging to us one day."

A smile appeared on Xiaoyuan's lips. She lightly punched him with her fist and said reproachfully, "You're a bad person."

Cheng Mutian seized her hand and took a bite. Not satisfied with that, he kissed her lips again. The two lingered for a while. Xiaoyuan asked with a smile, "Why do your mouths smell so good?" Cheng Mutian blushed and took out his purse to show her. It turned out to be a piece of clove-flavored incense, made from cloves. Holding it in the mouth made one's breath fragrant.

He never does anything fancy, so what's wrong? Xiao Yuan sat on his lap, hooked her arms around his neck, half-coquettishly, half-questioning, trying to get him to tell the truth. Cheng Mutian's face turned even redder. He didn't want to talk, but she clung to him like an octopus, so he could only whisper in her ear, "Now that you can meet guests, you must think many people are better than me... Even that guy surnamed Yang, he's dressed up like a ghost..." Xiao Yuan suppressed a laugh, looked into his eyes, and asked, "Are you worried I'll fall for someone else?" Cheng Mutian's face wrinkled, and he said with displeasure, "Is it okay to throw mud at yourself like that?"

Xiao Yuan just stared at him without saying a word.

After a while, Cheng Mutian buried his face deeply in her neck and said in a hoarse voice, "My wife, it's not that I want to think the wrong thing, it's just... it's just that I..." Xiaoyuan interrupted him, saying, "Erlang, don't say such self-deprecating things. You know how I feel about you." She gently stroked his back and couldn't help but joke again, "I'm completely captivated by your three children, what other thoughts could I possibly have?"

"Three?" Cheng Mutian looked up in confusion, paused, then realized what she meant and excitedly touched her belly. "Wife, you're pregnant again?" Xiao Yuan replied with a smile, "My period hasn't come this month, so I guess I'm pregnant. I was thinking of calling the doctor to take my pulse before telling you..."

"I'll go call the doctor and ask him if he's a man or a woman on the way." Before she could finish speaking, Cheng Mutian jumped up and rushed out, bringing Doctor Yan to her in the blink of an eye. When they entered the mountain, they thought Doctor Yan only knew how to treat children's illnesses, so they brought two doctors with them. Later, they discovered that he was proficient in various medical specialties, so they simply sent the other one home and left him on the mountain.

After examining Xiao Yuan's pulse, Doctor Yan offered his congratulations and was about to deliver the results when Cheng Mutian interrupted him, asking, "Is it a boy or a girl? Can you even tell?" Doctor Yan froze, carefully choosing his words. Seeing his hesitation, Xiao Yuan scolded Cheng Mutian, "You're supposed to know a little about medicine, but the fetus is only a month or so old, not even fully formed yet. How could you possibly tell?" Cheng Mutian chuckled, scratching his head sheepishly, and laughed, "I was just being silly." He led Doctor Yan next door to get a prescription for preventing miscarriage, then returned to Xiao Yuan and said, "The prescription is written, but I know you won't take it. I'll have the kitchen make you some chicken soup instead."

Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "You get nervous every time you get pregnant, but this is the third time already, and you're still like this?" Cheng Mutian picked her up by the waist and put her on the couch, saying, "This one is different." Xiao Yuan asked curiously, "How is it different?"

"This is a girl," Xiao Yuan said, pressing her ear to her belly. Xiao Yuan chuckled, "I think you're worried about not being able to spend all that cedar wood." Cheng Mutian didn't deny it. After hearing about her belly, which showed no signs of pregnancy, he went to the table to flip through the account book, muttering that in seventeen years, the cedar wood on the hillside would be ready for harvest.

Seventeen years old was probably the maximum age for marriage for women in the Song Dynasty. Xiao Yuan chuckled to herself, thinking that if she really had a daughter, Wu Ge and Chen Ge would probably lose favor.

Cheng Mutian still remembered how she almost miscarried when she was pregnant with Chen Ge, so this time he implemented a special protection policy for her. In the morning, she was not allowed to take Wu Ge to school; during the break, she was not allowed to personally deliver snacks; at noon, she was not allowed to cook a dish for Chen Ge; even in the evening, he stopped her from playing with the children for a while, citing that pregnant women should not be too tired.

After a few days, not only Xiaoyuan couldn't stand it, but the two children also felt neglected. They didn't know their mother was pregnant and were puzzled by her recent changes, so they huddled together and whispered amongst themselves. Chen asked, "Brother, why isn't Mother paying attention to us? Is it because I'm naughty?" Wu chuckled, "It's because you're naughty. Who told you to memorize a poem every day? Mother must think you're memorizing too many." Chen pouted, lowering his head, asking for a solution. Wu jumped down from his table, walked to his table, threw the books of poems and lyrics far away, and said, "From now on, you can only memorize one poem every other day." Then he grabbed Chen's arm and led him out the door, heading straight up the mountain path. They climbed halfway up, then came down the other side, heading straight for the river.

As soon as they went out, a servant followed them out, while another person relayed the message to Cheng Mutian and Xiaoyuan. It was afternoon, not school time, so Cheng Mutian generously waved his hand, instructing the servants to keep a close eye on them and let them play as they pleased.

Xiao Yuan said worriedly, "They must feel neglected, so they went to play in the mountains by themselves." Cheng Mutian blew on her nourishing and blood-tonifying soup and said, "I was afraid the children wouldn't keep their mouths shut and would tell everyone you're pregnant, so I kept it from them." Xiao Yuan also knew that she shouldn't let others know she was pregnant before three months, but how could she ignore her older child while pregnant with the younger one? She said unhappily, "The doctor said my pregnancy is very stable, but you're still worried. What's wrong with me playing with the children for a while?" Cheng Mutian replied seriously, "The elders say that when you're pregnant, you resemble whatever you see. If you let your two naughty sons around all day, you'll definitely give birth to another son."

"What kind of twisted theory is this?" Xiao Yuan laughed for a while, leaning on the table. "How about we borrow Third Sister's daughter, Niu Niu, to raise for a few days? I'll watch my daughter every day, and she'll probably be able to give birth." Her joke made Cheng Mutian take it seriously. He stroked his chin and muttered to himself, "Third Sister's daughter is too young. Your sister, Yu Niang, is better..."

Xiao Yuan chuckled to herself again, but his mention of Yu Niang reminded her of something. She called over A Cai and instructed, "Send someone to the Xue family to ask Aunt Chen if Yu Niang has any old clothes she can find." Cheng Mutian went to search the chest himself and said, "Aren't there still some here?" Xiao Yuan said, "The ones at home are all in boys' styles. I'm going to ask for some bright and beautiful clothes for girls." Cheng Mutian was displeased: "Why wear other people's old clothes? I'll go down the mountain to buy some cloth and make her new ones."

"Father, you want to make clothes for the little girl? Perfect, let's make a couple for Su Niang too." Wu Ge appeared out of nowhere, completely naked and dripping wet, with a little girl also naked and completely exposed behind him. Xiao Yuan and his wife looked closely and realized that it was indeed Su Niang, the girl he had mentioned.

Chapter 178 Two-Faced

The wet nurse led Wu Ge, Chen Ge, and Su Niang away to bathe and dress. A servant, panting and still shaken, followed closely behind, reporting, "Young Master, Young Madam, Master Yang is chasing after us, and the others are trying to stop him." Cheng Mutian angrily said, "Hurry up and send his daughter away; it looks like we've kidnapped her." Urged on by him, the wet nurse, not even bothering to bathe Su Niang, grabbed one of Wu Ge's old clothes for her to wear and handed it to the servant to take away.

Unexpectedly, when Master Yang received his daughter, he not only refused to leave, but also became even more relentless upon seeing her clothes. Helpless, Cheng Mutian went out to ask him personally. It turned out that Wu Ge and Su Niang had taken off their clothes and were playing in the river when Master Yang saw them. He was convinced that Wu Ge had ruined his daughter's reputation and had come to demand an explanation.

Master Yang tugged at Su Niang's clothes, indignantly saying, "It's one thing for your son to seduce my daughter, but to dress her in your own clothes—what are you up to?" Cheng Mutian was amused by his outburst, laughing, "I'm a man of principle, but I also know that boys and girls shouldn't sit together until they're seven. Your daughter and my son are only five; what's wrong with them swimming together? Besides, what makes you say my son seduced your daughter? I'd say your daughter seduced my son! Look at what happened to my wife's third brother—it was your family that seduced him. Your family's values speak for themselves."

Master Yang hadn't expected him to be so eloquent, cursing without using a single vulgar word. He was stunned for a moment before he reacted and retorted, "Swimming together is fine, but why did he strip my daughter naked?"

Why did Wu Ge strip Su Niang naked? Cheng Mutian didn't know the answer either, but compared to Master Yang's anxiety and anger, he was calm and collected. After all, his Wu Ge was a boy, so he wouldn't suffer any loss. Seeing Cheng Mutian's expression, Master Yang guessed what he was thinking and clenched his fist, ready to punch him. Cheng Fu stepped forward and blocked their path, saying, "Master Yang, although I don't know the details, Su Niang went to the riverbank on her own, didn't she? Since she went willingly, if something happened, you, as the father, should be blamed for your negligence. Why are you blaming your five-year-old neighbor?"

These words left Master Yang in the wrong, unable to refute them. Seeing the servants of the Cheng family picking up sticks and shovels, he quickly picked up Su Niang and walked back, leaving behind the words: "Don't even think about bullying me with your power, and don't even think about breaking off this marriage. I will find a matchmaker tomorrow."