El paisaje es como una pintura

Capítulo 59

Cheng Mutian returned to his room and told him his words as a joke, saying with sarcasm, "The Yang family members all act strangely. Are they out of their minds?" Wu Ge changed his clothes, strolled out, and chimed in, "Except for Su Niang."

Cheng Mutian grabbed him and threatened him, "Why did you take off your own and Su Niang's clothes? Aren't you afraid someone will send you to the authorities?" Xiao Yuan was secretly surprised that such a person who valued rules and regulations did not punish the child.

Wu Ge cried out that he was innocent, saying, "My brother and I took off our clothes so that we wouldn't get them wet while swimming. When we met Su Niang, she had already taken off her clothes and was taking bird eggs from the reeds."

"Stealing bird eggs?" Cheng Mutian was somewhat incredulous. "Although that child is born out of wedlock, would the Yang family allow her to be so wild?" The wet nurse replied, "I heard that Madam Yang has never let Su Niang eat her fill, so she has to sneak out to steal bird eggs and roast them to eat."

Xiao Yuan sighed upon hearing this, but Cheng Mutian, who had never shown much sympathy for other people's children, asked Wu Ge again, "So, what happened today has nothing to do with you?" Wu Ge answered "Yes." Cheng Mutian then asked, "Then why did you bring her home naked?" Wu Ge grabbed a piece of fruit from the table and took a big bite, saying indignantly, "We just met Su Niang, and before we could even exchange a few words, her father saw us passing by the river and called me a little scoundrel and a lecher. Although I wasn't afraid of him, I was worried that Su Niang would be beaten by him, so I told the servants to stop him and I took Su Niang and ran back." After he finished speaking, he asked, "Father, Mother, what do 'scoundrel' and 'lecher' mean?"

Cheng Mutian answered without hesitation, "Even someone like Su Niang's father, if he scolds you again next time, you should scold him back." Although Xiao Yuan was also angry at Master Yang for scolding her child so viciously, she still lightly slapped the table and scolded, "Is this how you teach your child? Just now you thought Wu Ge took off Su Niang's clothes, but you didn't hit him for it, which I already found strange. Now you're teaching him such nonsense." Cheng Mutian was very dismissive and said, "It's his daughter who broke the rules and went astray. Wu Ge didn't do anything wrong. Why should I hit him?"

Xiao Yuan was taken aback and said, "So all the rules you're talking about are for women. When it comes to men, there are no 'rules' to speak of." "Of course there are." Cheng Mutian sat down next to her and began instructing Wu Ge on the rules: "You're not allowed to go to Yang Family Village to look for Su Niang, do you hear me?"

Xiao Yuan rolled her eyes at the father and son, and stood up with A Cai's help, preparing to go see how A Yun's wedding banquet was going. Cheng Mutian noticed her intention in time, forcibly pulled her to sit down, and didn't even allow her to look at the drink menu, so as not to bother her.

Xiao Yuan leaned back on the couch helplessly and said, "I'm just looking, I'm not doing anything myself, so why should I be bothered? It's the Yang family who keep coming to cause trouble, we should think of a way to deal with them." Cheng Mutian ordered the wet nurse to take Wu Ge out, and summoned Cheng Fu, instructing him to send more people to guard the house and not allow the Yang family to get close.

They were wrong this time. Master Yang wasn't trying to cause trouble by using Su Niang's name; he really had come to propose marriage.

Cheng Mutian and Xiaoyuan stared in disbelief at the person who entered the hall. It was a high-class matchmaker dressed in a purple vest, holding an invitation card, bowing and smiling at them.

Xiao Yuan steadied herself and said, "Our family has no eligible servants, but we do have a tutor who is single, though he's about to get married." The matchmaker was quite displeased with her words and said, "Young Madam, judging from my attire, you should know that I've come to propose marriage on behalf of my master." As she spoke, she handed over the invitation card in her hand and said, "This is Yang Su Niang's birth date and time. Young Madam, please take it to a fortune teller to have it checked. If it's suitable, we'll replace the draft invitation card."

Seeing that she was speaking so confidently that she almost dropped her teacup, Cheng Mutian exclaimed in surprise, "Who wants to marry into his family? Stop talking nonsense!"

The purple-backed matchmaker asked in surprise, "Hasn't Master Yang already made an agreement with your family? I'm only here today to go through the motions." Xiao Yuan found it absurd and said, "My family has two sons, the older one is five years old and the younger one is three years old. Which one do you think is of marriageable age?" The purple-backed matchmaker laughed and said, "Oh, young mistress, there are quite a few arranged marriages since they were born. What's so special about a betrothal between children?"

Cheng Mutian snatched the "eight characters" from Xiaoyuan's hand, tore it to shreds in a few strokes, and said angrily, "Go back and tell that guy surnamed Yang not to even think about making a move on my son, or I'll make him regret it."

The "eight characters" were torn up, the job was ruined, not only would she not receive the money, but her reputation would also be damaged. The purple-backed matchmaker became anxious and said, "Young Master Cheng, do you really want me to make things clear? Your eldest son is plotting against Yang Su Niang. Master Yang saw it with his own eyes. If you don't marry her, are you trying to drive her to her death?"

Cheng Mutian, unwilling to argue with a matchmaker, summoned Tian Da's wife to scold her. Tian Da's wife and A Cai each grabbed one of the matchmaker's arms, dragged her to the gate, and threw her out. Standing on the steps, Tian Da's wife chuckled, "Matchmaker Zi, there are plenty of boys and girls in our mountains who run around naked. According to you, they all have to be married off?" Zi Beizi, the matchmaker, felt deeply humiliated and argued, "Master Yang's daughter is a proper young lady. How can she be treated like a mountain child?" After witnessing Master Yang's demeanor last time, A Cai had no good feelings towards the people of Yang Family Village. She spat in Zi Beizi's face and mocked her, "A proper young lady, huh? She stripped naked to steal bird eggs and then tried to frame our Brother Wu. How shameless!"

When these words reached Xiaoyuan's ears, she was quite displeased and scolded Acai, "Su Niang is a pitiful child. If she doesn't go to collect bird eggs, is she supposed to wait for her stepmother to starve her to death? Although Master Yang is hateful, we can't take our anger out on the child. That's not the way a kind person would act." Acai wasn't a mean person, but she was really infuriated by the way things were done in Yang Family Village. After hearing this criticism, she had nothing to say and immediately lowered her head to admit her mistake, promising not to involve the child in adult matters again.

Now, there were only a handful of matchmakers in Lin'an City qualified to wear purple vests. They were seasoned members of high-ranking officials and wealthy families, and were extremely concerned with their reputation and image. The matchmaker who had proposed marriage to the Cheng family on behalf of the Yang family felt utterly humiliated. She arrived at the Yang family home in a huff, holding a parasol, and gave Master Yang a thorough dressing-down, scolding him: "Master Yang, do you not trust my word? Since nothing's even settled, tell me the truth so I can properly speak with the Cheng family. I shouldn't have believed you, the Cheng family, for wanting to save face and agreeing to this marriage. Bah! I was forced out here. I've completely disgraced your Yang family."

Master Yang was confused and asked doubtfully, "The Cheng family used to be a well-known wealthy merchant family at the foot of Phoenix Mountain in Lin'an City. I asked some people from all walks of life in the city, and they all said that Cheng Erlang is a person who is very particular about rules and face. Why doesn't he agree to this marriage?"

The matchmaker in purple slapped her thigh hard and exclaimed, "Oh dear, my dear Mr. Yang, it's not that I look down on you people from Quanzhou Village, but no matter how proper the rules are, they're for women. His son, Wu, is a boy. Even if he's fifteen instead of five, if he sees your daughter without clothes, it's his face that's embarrassed, not the Cheng family."

Master Yang's face turned bright red with embarrassment. He said hastily, "How would I know that my daughter ran off to play by the river? It must have been because the servants were not watching her properly." The matchmaker, Zi Beizi, had not yet received her payment and could not continue to ridicule him. She took a breath and comforted him, saying, "Your Su Niang is only five years old. It's not a big deal if someone sees her body occasionally. Just don't let it get out."

Master Yang was still anxious, saying, "What if word gets out? My most beloved daughter is only one; I can't let this ruin her lifelong happiness." Madam Yang had been eavesdropping behind the curtain for over a time, and finally couldn't hold back any longer. She rushed out, slamming her fist on the table, tears streaming down her face, and said, "You call a lowly illegitimate girl your most beloved daughter? What about our precious Zi Niang?" Master Yang was furious that she had embarrassed him in front of the matchmaker. He grabbed her clothes, dragged her into the inner room, and beat and kicked her, cursing, "If you hadn't been so cruel to Su Niang, leaving her without food or clothing, how could she have run off to the river to steal bird eggs? If she hadn't gone to the river to steal bird eggs, how could the Cheng family's son have seen her naked? You harmed her birth mother, and now you want to harm her too?"

He kicked Madam Yang in the stomach again, causing her excruciating pain and nearly making her faint. Clutching her stomach with one hand and supporting herself with the other, she stubbornly argued, "What does stealing bird eggs have to do with being naked? She's just like her mother, a lowly slut." Thinking of this, Master Yang felt even more heartbroken. He slapped her so hard her mouth bled, cursing, "She was afraid of getting her clothes wet and being scolded by you, so she took off all her clothes and went into the water."

Madam Yang was about to argue when a sudden, sharp pain shot through her abdomen. Unable to bear it any longer, she screamed and fainted. Madam Yang's family had some influence in Quanzhou, and Master Yang was alarmed. He quickly summoned a maid to help her to bed and urged a servant to go to the Cheng family to fetch a doctor.

Still harboring resentment towards Madam Yang for calling him a "quack doctor," Doctor Yan remained seated at the table, refusing to move. He said, "I'm just a wandering physician; if I can't cure this great lady, she should seek another skilled doctor." A-Cai scolded him, "A doctor's heart is like a parent's; how can you act like this?" Doctor Yan flicked his robe, dismissively replying, "I only obey the young master." Xiao Yuan, pregnant and sensitive, heard that Madam Yang was experiencing abdominal pain and bleeding, and fearing a miscarriage, she quickly nudged Cheng Mutian. Cheng Mutian, not being a malicious person, couldn't bear to leave someone to die. So, acting as the master, he ordered A-Cai to carry Doctor Yan's medicine chest to Yang's village to examine her. Fearing that something might happen to Madam Yang and she would blame the Cheng family, he also summoned several skilled guards and ordered them to escort her.

Xiao Yuan was right; Madam Yang had indeed miscarried. Lying on the bed, her face ashen, she muttered incoherently, "Master only stays in my room two or three days a month. I never imagined she was pregnant; I thought it was just my irregular period..." Master Yang felt guilty and avoided seeing her, only sending his two daughters to serve her at her bedside. When Madam Yang saw Su Niang, her eyes turned red with anger. Ignoring the lingering bleeding beneath her, she leaned forward, grabbed Su Niang, and slapped her several times with deadly force.

Su Niang was only five years old, with a delicate pink face. After being slapped a few times, her face immediately became red and swollen. Although she tried her best to hold back her cries, Master Yang still found out. He held his little girl's face in his hands for a while, then hugged her and cried: "I couldn't protect your mother, and she was tricked. Now I can't protect you either. I'm truly unworthy of being your father."

He cried more and more heartbrokenly, and ordered people to prepare three full loads of precious gifts, and secretly took Su Niang's birth date and time, and went to the Cheng family in person to propose marriage.

Chapter 179 Brother Chen Gets a Tooth Pulled

Master Yang went to the Cheng family to propose marriage, but unsurprisingly, he was turned away at the door. The gatekeeper said it was too late and the family did not receive guests. Master Yang looked up; although it was almost dinnertime, it wasn't dark yet, so how could it be "too late"? However, the gatekeeper wouldn't listen to his explanation, slammed the gate shut, and never showed himself again. Having no other choice, he ordered his servants to carry the three loads of gifts and return home along the mountain path.

Cheng Mutian and Xiaoyuan were currently extremely busy. Chen Ge had probably eaten too much sugar, and his teeth were aching so badly that he couldn't even eat. Xiaoyuan held her crying youngest son, feeling helpless and wishing she could cry with him. Cheng Mutian comforted them, saying, "Perhaps the toothbrush and tooth powder he's using now are no good. Tomorrow I'll go to Master Fu's toothbrush shop in Jin Alley in the city and buy him the most expensive ones."

After a while, Doctor Yan returned from the Yang family. Hearing that Brother Chen had a toothache, he suggested a folk remedy: he had someone grind peppercorns and had Brother Chen hold them in his mouth over the decayed tooth to temporarily relieve the pain. Hearing that Xiao Yuan wanted to go down the mountain to buy toothpaste and tooth powder, he advised, "You should buy them for everyday use, but it would be better to have this tooth extracted by Dentist Chen." Upon hearing that he needed a tooth pulled, Brother Chen was terrified and clung to Xiao Yuan's neck, crying, "Mother, I'll never eat candy again! I don't want my tooth pulled!" Xiao Yuan, also afraid of tooth extractions, was both anxious and heartbroken, unsure how to comfort him. Doctor Yan smiled and said, "Dentist Chen is famous because he has a 'Sleeping Saint Powder' made from powdered mountain eggplant flowers and hemp flowers. Just one qian (approximately 3 grams) is enough to induce a deep sleep, so that the person whose tooth was pulled won't even know it's gone."

Xiao Yuan thought to herself that this "Sleeping Saint Powder" was probably something similar to an anesthetic, but would general anesthesia be harmful to a child? Without further hesitation, Chen Ge cried out in pain, clutching his cheek. Local anesthesia was unheard of in the Song Dynasty, so she gritted her teeth and made the decision for Chen Ge: "Tomorrow, have your father take you to Dentist Chen. You'll need the 'Sleeping Saint Powder' to get your tooth pulled." Chen Ge clung to her like a piece of candy, muttering, "I don't want to go, I don't want to go..." Wu Ge couldn't stand his clingy behavior, so she pulled him down, tapped his nose, and scolded, "It's just getting a tooth pulled, there's nothing to be afraid of." Chen Ge obeyed his older brother's discipline the most, lowered his head, and obediently let him lead him downstairs.

Cheng Mutian was worried about the "Sleeping Saint Powder" and discussed it with Doctor Yan. Xiao Yuan listened for a while and felt that the "fire hemp flower" they were talking about was huge. She didn't know if it could be used as medicine, so she couldn't help but feel uneasy. She tugged at Cheng Mutian's sleeve and asked, "Don't you have any other anesthetic prescriptions?" Cheng Mutian then asked Doctor Yan, "This 'Sleeping Saint Powder' is a new prescription. Don't you have 'Mafeisan'?" Doctor Yan nodded, took out a copy of "Hua Tuo's Secret Medical Records" compiled by Tang Dynasty people from the bottom of his medicine box, turned to the page with the "Mafeisan" prescription, and handed it to them.

Cheng Mutian took the book, and Xiaoyuan leaned over to look at it with him. According to the book, the ingredients of Mafeisan were Rhododendron molle, jasmine root, Angelica sinensis root, and Acorus calamus. Xiaoyuan recognized the latter few herbs, but she had never heard of Rhododendron molle. She asked Doctor Yan and found out that it was yellow azalea. She took the book from Cheng Mutian and looked at it again, and said happily, "This is Mafeisan. I'll have to trouble Doctor Yan to prepare the medicine." Doctor Yan smiled and said, "I came up the mountain to do this job." He put the book away and immediately went to prepare the herbs. Before dawn the next day, Acai helped him brew a bowl of Mafeisan, put it in a porcelain jar, and took Cheng Mutian and Brother Chen to find Dentist Chen to have their teeth pulled.

Dentist Chen was acquainted with Physician Yan, and deliberately teased him, saying, "What, you dislike my 'Sleeping Saint Powder' and even brought your own medicine?" Physician Yan had brought his young master to have a tooth extracted, so he dared not be careless. He cupped his hands and said, "Brother Chen is still young and afraid of pain, so please be gentle." Dentist Chen laughed, "You don't trust your 'Mafeisan'?" Although he was joking, he was still very attentive. He first comforted Brother Chen, fed him half a bowl of "Mafeisan," and waited until he was asleep and no longer felt the pain. Then he wrapped a silk thread that had been boiled in boiling water around the post of the bad tooth, and with a strong and clean pull, the little tooth was pulled out along with the thread. He placed the tooth in a dish, immediately took some hemostatic powder, applied it to the gum, and then wrote a prescription and handed it to Cheng Mutian, instructing him to make sure Brother Chen took the medicine on time for the next few days. With everything settled, Cheng Mutian picked up the tooth and examined it. He noticed a large hole in it and frowned, thinking to himself, "Let's see if Brother Chen will dare to eat candy again."

After a while, Chen Ge woke up, but was still groggy. Cheng Mutian carried him himself, went to a toothbrush shop to buy the best toothbrush and tooth powder, and took a car back to the mountain. Halfway there, Chen Ge started crying from the spot where he had his tooth pulled, and cried for his mother. Cheng Mutian tried to comfort him for a long time but couldn't stop his tears, and was at a loss for what to do. Finally, when they arrived home, he picked up Chen Ge, jumped out of the car, and rushed inside, shouting, "Wife, come quickly and comfort your precious son!"

Xiao Yuan took Chen Ge and patted him gently, but didn't bother to comfort him. She said to Cheng Mutian, "You've been gone all day, and Master Yang has been looking for you all day. He even said you were deliberately avoiding him." Cheng Mutian scoffed, "Avoiding him? Why would I?" Then he asked anxiously, "I didn't let him in, did I?" Xiao Yuan took out her handkerchief to wipe Chen Ge's tears and said, "He didn't even get close to our house. Cheng Fu and a few guards stopped him at the edge of the field. He must be possessed. Even though he knew Cheng Fu wouldn't let him in, he went to ask again and again, acting like he wouldn't give up until he saw you."

Cheng Mutian laughed triumphantly: "It seems my son is popular. He's only five years old and there are already young ladies crying and begging to marry him." Wu Ge came with his wet nurse to visit his younger brother and asked, "Father, who wants to marry me?" Cheng Mutian pushed him in front of Chen Ge and said, "You're only a few years old. What do you know about marriage? Your brother suffered today. It's more important for you to play with him."

Wu Ge took a piece of candy from his pocket, held it between two fingers, and waved it near Chen Ge's lips, asking with a smile, "I specially saved this for you, do you want some?" Chen Ge's mouth was still throbbing, and he couldn't bear to part with the candy, so he looked at it longingly with teary eyes. Xiao Yuan found it amusing and said, "I really don't know if you were born on the same day as the candy-controlling deity. Why doesn't your brother love candy as much as you do?" Saying this, she slapped Wu Ge's hand and scolded, "You know your brother can't eat candy these days, yet you still tease him."

Wu Ge stuffed the candy into his mouth, puffing out his cheeks, and said, "Who told him not to brush his teeth carefully? If he had focused even half as much on brushing as he did on memorizing his lessons, his teeth wouldn't be rotten." Hearing this, Xiao Yuan immediately called over the nanny to ask. It turned out the nanny had old-fashioned ideas, believing that children weren't like adults and that brushing their teeth was unimportant. Cheng Mutian had witnessed Chen Ge's "horrific" tooth extraction today and was already heartbroken. Now, hearing that it was the nanny's negligence that caused this, he was furious and insisted that Xiao Yuan fire her.

Xiao Yuan was also angry that her daughter-in-law had disobeyed her master and made Chen Ge suffer the pain of having his tooth pulled at such a young age. So she agreed with Cheng Mutian and asked Tian Da's wife to take her downstairs to settle her wages. Dismissing a wet nurse was not a big deal, but with Sister-in-law Yu not around, there would be no one to take care of the two boys. Xiao Yuan looked at Cheng Mutian and smiled, "Shall we sleep with our sons tonight?"

Cheng Mutian glanced at her slightly protruding belly and frowned, saying, "Children don't sleep well. What if they kick you? How about I let them sleep with me for the night, and send someone to bring Sister-in-law Yu back tomorrow?" Xiaoyuan asked, "What will happen to Zhonglang without Sister-in-law Yu?" Cheng Mutian said, "Anyway, Ayun will be returning to the mountain after her wedding. Why not let them bring Zhonglang back with them?" Seeing the displeasure on Xiaoyuan's face, he quickly added, "Zhonglang is the same age as Brother Chen, and it's time for him to start his education. I'll also let him live in the same courtyard as Fourth Sister, so he won't bother you. Besides, if he's raised like that by his stepmother, what if he grows up to be a troublemaker and causes trouble for Brother Wu and Brother Chen in the future?"

Xiao Yuan sighed helplessly, "They say an elder sister-in-law is like a mother, and I have so many children under my wing." Cheng Mutian felt indebted to her, so he took out the toothpaste he had bought in the city that day and showed it off, saying, "What I bought is not tooth powder, but toothpaste. This green porcelain box contains powder made from sandalwood, white sandalwood, styrax, cinnamon, camphor, and musk, mixed with cooked honey."

It's not worth ruining the relationship between husband and wife for the sake of her brother-in-law. Xiao Yuan went along with him, put the previous topic aside, smiled and took the box to look at it, saying, "There's musk in it, for the children."

Cheng Mutian took out another purple and gold-decorated box for her and said, "This is a powder made from agarwood, sandalwood, tonka bean, patchouli, nard, musk, cinnamon bark, and clove bark, mixed with styrax oil and honey." Before Xiaoyuan could respond, he teased her, "Look at my brain, there's musk in this too, how could I forget you're pregnant?"

After many years of marriage, they understood each other without needing to speak. Xiaoyuan comforted him, saying, "I was just being willful. Actually, there are many servants at home, and I don't need to worry about taking care of Zhonglang." As she spoke, she took his hand and placed it on her lower abdomen, smiling, "I will not let you down. Even if the sky falls, I will not care. I will only do my best to give birth to our daughter safely."

Cheng Mutian smiled gratefully, placed the two boxes together, and said, "One for Brother Wu, one for Brother Chen." Xiao Yuan noticed a small, round box in the bundle, carved from jade, with tiny jasmine flowers floating on its surface—it was exquisitely crafted. She opened it, smelled the fragrant aroma, and asked Cheng Mutian what it was. Cheng Mutian slapped his forehead and laughed, "I almost forgot about it. This was specially bought for you. It's a paste made from ground camphor, frankincense, and salt, mixed with honey. It's the only one without musk. I spent ages looking for it at the toothbrush shop."

Chapter 180 "The Villain" Cheng Erlang

Xiao Yuan opened the jade box carved with jasmine flowers, picked up a tiny bit of the spiced honey toothpaste with her little finger, and tasted it. She laughed and said, "It's so fragrant and sweet, I'm afraid Brother Chen will eat this like candy." Upon hearing this, Cheng Mutian picked up a little bit of the paste from the other two boxes and tasted it. It was equally fragrant and sweet. He shook his head with a smile, "It is indeed delicious, but this kind of toothpaste is mainly for freshening breath. It's not very useful for preventing tooth decay." Xiao Yuan stacked the three boxes together and casually placed them on the table, saying, "Brother Chen needs to prevent cavities, you'll have to think of a way."

Cheng Mutian took out a few small paper packets and said, "I asked Dentist Chen for two tooth powder recipes, specifically for preventing tooth decay. You go to sleep first, I'll prepare them for Brother Chen." Xiao Yuan leaned against him, pressed her face against his arm, and whispered with a smile, "I can't sleep alone, I'll keep you company while you make the tooth powder." Cheng Mutian teased her a few times, then brought out a soft cushion sewn with Xiangfei bamboo for her to sit on before starting to prepare the tooth powder. He first sifted the dried and ground pine resin and Poria cocos through a small sieve and put them into a white porcelain jar shaped like a chubby baby; then he took the dried and ground Sophora flavescens powder, sifted it finely with the same small sieve, and put it into a shallow box. Xiao Yuan marveled at how responsible her father was, even preparing two different kinds of tooth powder. Cheng Mutian smiled modestly, "The pine resin and poria powder is good, but it's not meant to be used with toothbrushes, so I prepared something else." Seeing Xiaoyuan staring at the powder with curiosity, he demonstrated on the spot, scooping a spoonful of the prepared tooth powder into his mouth, taking a sip of water, gargling a few times, and then spitting it out. Xiaoyuan laughed, "This isn't brushing your teeth, it's more like rinsing your mouth." Cheng Mutian nodded, took a shallow box in his hand, and said, "Teach Brother Chen to take the toothbrush I bought, dip it in water, sprinkle on this bitter ginseng tooth powder, once in the morning and once at night, it can prevent tooth decay." Xiaoyuan said coquettishly, "Then I want to use it too." Cheng Mutian was willing to be driven like this, and dutifully sifted two more boxes, one for Brother Wu, and one for the couple to use themselves.

Xiao Yuan happily carried the bitter ginseng powder back to her room and took out the new toothbrush Cheng Mutian had bought to brush her teeth. Normally, the handle of her toothbrush was made of tortoiseshell, but this new one was made of ivory, with carved patterns on the long handle for a non-slip grip, and two rows of small holes drilled in the head, with horsehair tied with silk thread. She loved its exquisite craftsmanship, yet couldn't help complaining that it was too expensive and extravagant. Cheng Mutian didn't explain, only gesturing for her to try it first. Following his instructions, Xiao Yuan dipped the toothbrush in water, sprinkled it with ginseng tooth powder, and brushed her teeth a few times. She exclaimed in delight, "The bristles of this toothbrush are softer than the ones we usually use!" Cheng Mutian laughed, "Now you know? This horsehair has been soaked in medicine, unlike the ones we used before. We'd easily end up with a mouthful of blood if we weren't careful. No wonder Brother Chen doesn't like brushing his teeth." After brushing, Xiao Yuan asked, "Ivory toothbrushes must be expensive, right?" Cheng Mutian, still holding the toothbrush in his mouth, mumbled, "They're alright. The ivory isn't of the highest quality; one brush only costs one string of cash. The smaller ones Brother Wu and Brother Chen use are only half a string." Xiao Yuan was stunned. This young master really couldn't shake his extravagant habits. It seemed she needed to work even harder to earn more money.

The next morning, Cheng Mutian went to wake Cheng Fu, asking him to go down the mountain to fetch Zhonglang; Xiaoyuan, on the other hand, went to supervise Chen Ge brushing his teeth, teaching him how to pour water and how to sprinkle ginseng tooth powder. The taste of ginseng wasn't very pleasant, and Chen Ge took the toothbrush out of his mouth as soon as he put it in, grabbed a cup and rinsed his mouth vigorously, then looked up and said, "Mom, I'm done brushing." Xiaoyuan stared at him for a long time without saying a word, thinking to herself, "You and your brother are really alike in some ways, no wonder you're brothers."

When Wu Ge returned from his run, he slapped Chen Ge on the head—a typical older brother greeting. Chen Ge seemed used to it, putting down his cup and toothbrush and bowing respectfully. Xiao Yuan, a sudden inspiration, pulled Wu Ge aside and said, "Your brother doesn't brush his teeth properly. I'll entrust this to you, okay?" Wu Ge readily agreed, rubbing his fists together and telling Chen Ge, "Hurry up and brush your teeth. I'll check after my boxing practice. If even one tooth isn't clean, I won't take you to play by the river after school." Chen Ge, afraid of such threats, obediently picked up his cup and toothbrush and began brushing. Xiao Yuan chuckled at Wu Ge, "Good son, don't forget to keep an eye on his aerobics practice. It'll be hard on you as the older brother."

Wu Ge patted his chest and said, "Mother, don't worry, what can I do? I'm the older brother." Xiao Yuan laughed all the way back to her room and told Cheng Mutian what had just happened, saying, "So having two children has these advantages." Cheng Mutian seemed a little absent-minded and replied, "Then you'll have less to worry about in the future." Xiao Yuan noticed his expression was off and quickly asked what was wrong. Cheng Mutian pointed outside and said, "That Yang fellow is here again. Although I'm not afraid of him, he keeps coming to bother me every day, and I don't even dare to leave the house, afraid he'll pester me." Xiao Yuan said, "Then why don't you invite him in and explain things clearly?" Cheng Mutian thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "Alright, I already have an explanation. You just sit in the room and wait for me to go meet him."

Master Yang waited anxiously on the edge of the field. When he saw Tian Da leading men to invite him into the house, he was overjoyed. On his way down the mountain, he tripped over the hem of his robe and almost fell. Upon entering the Cheng residence, Tian Da's wife greeted him and invited him to sit in the hall. She brought out a cup of Longjing tea, but it was plain and unmixed. He couldn't help but wonder if the Cheng family was truly poor, as even their servants lacked the skill to make tea. He sat for a while, but Cheng Mutian still hadn't come out. Bored, he began to look around the house. On the small table beside him was a vase of wildflowers, and on the wall hung an embroidery, the workmanship of which was quite rough. The furniture wasn't made of sandalwood, but rather seemed to be made of young fir wood. He tapped the armrest of a chair with his finger to listen to the sound, and began to have second thoughts.

Although he was puzzled, his gaze continued to sweep around, and suddenly he was attracted by three boxes on the round table: a white porcelain box with green branches, a box with purple flowers and gold trim, and another one that was carved from the finest mutton fat jade. He couldn't resist his curiosity, so he stood up, walked to the table, picked up the jade box, and opened the lid to smell it.

He only smelled the fragrant aroma of the box, but didn't recognize what it was. However, since the box itself was worth over ten strings of cash, the contents inside must be even more valuable. His wavering heart suddenly calmed down. Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; marrying Su Niang into such a family would surely bring her good fortune.

Cheng Mutian stood by the curtain, staring at him for a while before nodding to the maid beside him. The maid lifted the curtain, and he lowered his head slightly as he walked in, strolled to the table, and said, "What, is Master Yang interested in toothpaste?"

"Is this toothpaste?" Mr. Yang, embarrassed to admit he didn't recognize it, asked, "It looks quite good. Where did you buy it?" Cheng Mutian replied, "At Master Fu's Toothbrush Shop at the entrance of Jin Alley, they have everything." Intrigued, Mr. Yang asked again, "How much does a box cost?" Cheng Mutian glanced at the white jade box he was reluctant to put down and said, "This one is forty-five strings of cash." He then pointed to the purple-flowered, gold-decorated box: "That one is thirty strings of cash." Finally, he weighed the green-branched white porcelain box in his hand: "This is the cheapest, only twenty strings of cash."

The Cheng family was incredibly wealthy in Quanzhou, and it seemed that the upcoming branch seller was also extremely rich. Master Yang secretly compared the Cheng family's assets with his own and found that his family's wealth was only enough to buy a few more tubes of toothpaste. He recalled the incident when they first met and were fighting cocks. Madam Yang, disliking the Cheng family's lack of money, had changed the three strings of cash per round to three coins per round, which must have made the Cheng family laugh their heads off.

Seeing Master Yang squeezing the white jade box repeatedly, Cheng Mutian wished he could chop off his hand. He strode over to the main seat and loudly asked Master Yang the purpose of his visit.

Master Yang snapped out of his daze, carefully put down the box, and pulled two invitation cards from his sleeve to hand over. Cheng Mutian took them and glanced at one; one contained Su Niang's birth date and time. Without any politeness, he threw it on the ground, saying, "I already tore this up once the other day, I don't want to tear it up again." The other was a dowry list, listing some everyday utensils and items. Cheng Mutian showed no mercy, brandishing the card and sneer, "Master Yang, are you marrying off a daughter or a maid? My wife's personal maid is getting married in a few days, would you like to see her dowry list?"

Master Yang misunderstood, thinking that the man was not agreeing to the marriage because he thought the dowry was too small. He hurriedly said, "I came in a hurry and did not write it all down. I will go home and make a thicker copy."

Cheng Mutian blew on his tea, took a slow sip, and said, "I'm not afraid you'll think I'm materialistic. Although my Cheng family is in decline now, it's still not something you can afford to marry into. If you want to send your daughter to our family, that's not impossible, but let's wait until we have the ability to prepare a dowry worthy of the Cheng family's betrothal gifts."

He had just insulted Master Yang so blatantly, yet Master Yang hadn't shown any anger. But now, these words from him caused Master Yang's face to change drastically. He said, "Your son saw my daughter's naked body; you have no choice but to marry her." Cheng Mutian slowly replied, "I don't deny that my son saw your daughter's naked body, but it seems he wasn't the only one who saw that scene." As he spoke, he beckoned outside, and the curtain moved, allowing a long line of servants to enter. They all said in unison, "We were the ones who went to the riverbank with Brother Wu that day; we saw everything."

Cheng Mutian suppressed a laugh and said to Master Yang, "Please take a good look and see which one you like. I will ask him to marry your daughter, and the betrothal gifts will be more than enough to match your dowry."

杨老爷紧紧抓着椅子扶手，额上青筋暴起，一副想揍人的模样。程慕天将那张嫁妆单子撕得粉碎，扔到他身上，冷声道：“别以为我不晓得你打的甚么主意，自家穷得掀不开锅，就想把闺女嫁进我家来吃白食？”

Master Yang slammed his hand on the small table, splashing tea everywhere, and roared, "You, surnamed Cheng, don't push your luck! I'm just worried about Su Niang being mistreated by her stepmother at home, and I want to find her a good family as soon as possible." Cheng Mutian said calmly, "Why are you in such a hurry? I didn't say I didn't believe you. But what does it have to do with my Cheng family that your daughter is being bullied by her stepmother? You can't protect your illegitimate daughter yourself, so you want to cling to my family. What kind of logic is that?"

Master Yang opened his mouth wide, feeling breathless, his face ashen, and squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Cheng Erlang, you're ruthless." Cheng Mutian politely cupped his hands and said, "Likewise, if it weren't for Master Yang's schemes against my wife's third brother and my wife, I wouldn't have known I had the potential to be a villain." Seeing that Master Yang seemed to have more to say, he raised his hand to stop him, saying, "Let me give you a piece of advice: don't speak too definitively, and don't push things to the extreme, or you'll be begging me one day." After saying that, he shouted outside, "Bring the soup, see the guest out."

Hearing that there was no more noise outside, Xiao Yuan came out from the inner room and asked in surprise, "Er Lang, why are you so sharp today? You're not letting your words through." Cheng Mutian helped her sit down and said, "I know you pity Su Niang, but this man surnamed Yang is not a good person." Xiao Yuan said, "Parents all over the world are concerned for their children. He's only thinking of his daughter." Cheng Mutian snorted, "Thinking of his daughter? That might be part of it, but it's not the whole story." Xiao Yuan asked doubtfully, "If it's not because of that, then what is it?" Cheng Mutian was very happy with his wife's quick thinking, and because she was pregnant and her mind was not as sharp, he happily touched her belly and asked, "The value of cash has decreased again. Did you know that?" Xiao Yuan nodded and said, "I'm in charge of the household. Although I haven't gone down the mountain, how could I not know about such a big thing? But our family only has iron coins, copper coins, and gold and silver. We have very few cash, so we can't be affected much."

Cheng Mutian rubbed her hand and laughed, "It won't affect our family, but for some families, it will have a big impact." Xiaoyuan thought carefully and suddenly realized, "The Yang family moved all the way to Lin'an. Iron coins, copper coins, and gold and silver are inconvenient to carry, so they must have exchanged them all for cash." Cheng Mutian laughed even more happily, "Before they could exchange the cash for real money, the cash depreciated again. I heard that now one cash can only be exchanged for a little over two hundred coins, and you might not even be able to get it." Xiaoyuan sighed, "The cash must have been depreciating over the years. Families with a little bit of means have all found an opportunity to exchange it for real money and hide it. The Yang family really suffered a big loss this time." Cheng Mutian said, "They were chased by the eldest son of the Yang family in Quanzhou and fled all the way to Lin'an. How could they have thought of this? Besides, they didn't exchange the cash in time because they were in a hurry to compete with us for paddy fields and wanted to use the cash to appease the village chief."

“That village is already extremely poor, and he still wants to fool people with worthless coins? He really wants to harm people but has only harmed himself.” Xiao Yuan put away her last bit of pity and said firmly, “From now on, Wu Ge is not allowed to associate with Su Niang.”

Cheng Mutian laughed at her, saying, "You really speak like the wind. We have sons, and theirs have daughters. We won't lose out. It's just kids playing together. What's the big deal?" Xiao Yuan asked in surprise, "You didn't say that before. Didn't you teach Wu-ge to go around Su-niang?"

Chapter 181 The Difference Between Men and Women

Cheng Mutian took out a large sheet of paper with a topographical map of the mountain where they lived, covering several miles. Pointing to the various symbols on the paper, he explained proudly, "In this mountain area, only the few acres of paddy fields we bought are available. Although the village has a few acres of land, it's reserved for food. The other paddy fields are quite far from Yangjiazhuang. Even if they bought them and planted grain, they couldn't transport it here."

As he spoke, he looked up and saw three boxes of toothpaste on the table. He quickly called someone to take the white jade box out and clean it thoroughly before continuing, "Yang Family Village is poor now and has no grain to grow. There will be many days of famine. Don't worry, they won't beg us. Don't be fooled by Yang's arrogance when he proposed marriage; he's actually terrified that if he can't get in touch with us, he'll go hungry in the future. Tell Wu-ge to go and play with Su-niang without worry. Yang Family Village will never dare to cause trouble." It's true that fortunes change, and after thinking for a long time, Xiao-yuan could only come up with this one sentence.

Cheng Mutian rolled up the topographical map and personally went to the study to place it. Wu Ge followed him into the room and pleaded, "Father, if Master Yang wants to marry Su Niang to me, please agree. Su Niang is so pitiful; her little JJ was cut off by her stepmother."

"What?" Cheng Mutian didn't quite understand and asked. Wu Ge gestured on his body and said, "That day, Su Niang was naked, and I saw her. She didn't have a penis. My brother and I both have them, so why didn't she? Was it because her stepmother cut it off?"

Cheng Mutian understood this time. His face turned red to the roots of his neck. He wanted to yell at him, but was afraid that others would hear him, so he could only point to the door and coax him, "Ask your mother."

Wu Ge thought to himself, "So there are things Father doesn't know." He left the study and skipped over to find Xiao Yuan, asking her the same questions he had just asked Cheng Mutian. Xiao Yuan cursed Cheng Mutian in her heart several times before carefully saying, "You'll understand when you grow up."

This not only failed to fool the clever Wu Ge, but even she herself despised it. Despite considering herself a modern-educated transmigrator, she was just as embarrassed and at a loss for words when her son asked her such a question.

Wu Ge kept repeating, "I don't want to understand when I grow up, I want to understand now. Mother, isn't Su Niang very pitiful? Let's marry her into our family, then she can have enough to eat and her little JJ can grow up."

"Grow back to normal? Do you think she's a gecko?" As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Xiao Yuan immediately spat three times. Sigh, she hadn't convinced her son, but she had been influenced by his ideas. Even if she had the ability to regenerate, she couldn't regenerate. She was a girl, after all.

Thinking of this, she suddenly had an idea and carefully explained to Wu Ge, "You and your brother are boys, so you have penises. Su Niang is a girl, so she doesn't."

"Why?" Wu Ge was determined to get to the bottom of it. Xiao Yuan got a headache and decided to give him a taste of his own medicine, coaxing Wu Ge, "Mom is pregnant with your sister, so it's not good for her to worry too much. You should ask your father about this."

Wu Ge was really looking forward to this little sister, so he obediently turned around and went to ask Cheng Mutian again. Cheng Mutian was so embarrassed and annoyed that he paced around the desk ten times before finally coming up with a temporary solution. He pulled out the thickest book from the bookshelf and handed it to Wu Ge, saying, "If you can memorize this book from beginning to end before dinner tonight, I'll tell you the answer. If you can't, don't mention it again, or people will call you a little scoundrel." Wu Ge nodded blankly but didn't take the book, pouting, "Father, you just don't want to answer, so you're using this thick book to fool me." Cheng Mutian's intentions were guessed, and he was both ashamed and annoyed. He raised his hand to hit Wu Ge, who darted out of the study and ran to Xiao Yuan, throwing himself into her arms: "Mother, I won't ask about Xiao JJ anymore. Just bring Su Niang home, as a way of taking pity on her."

Xiao Yuan hugged him as they sat in the rocking chair, rocking gently. She asked with a smile, "You mean I and your father should marry her? You don't want to?" Wu Ge fiddled with the purse at her waist and nodded, "I can't support her, so naturally it's Father and Mother who should marry her." Xiao Yuan couldn't help but laugh out loud. It turned out that her silly son not only couldn't distinguish between men and women, but he also didn't quite understand the meaning of marrying a wife.

Cheng Mutian carried a bowl of pheasant soup into the room, pulled Wu Ge off her, and patted him twice: "Go stand aside, don't disturb your mother's soup." Xiao Yuan gave him a reproachful look, pulled Wu Ge over, and gave him a sip of the soup, saying, "Help your mother taste the saltiness." Cheng Mutian scolded her, "You spoil him too much." Xiao Yuan took a handkerchief and wiped Wu Ge's mouth, saying, "When I was little, my aunt wanted to spoil me but had to watch her stepmother's face, that was heartbreaking. Since I have the ability to spoil him, why can't I? Our Wu Ge isn't an ungrateful child."

Wu Ge pushed the soup bowl to Xiao Yuan's mouth and said, "Su Niang is not as favored as her mother."

Xiao Yuan recounted his childish words to Cheng Mutian, treating it as a joke. Cheng Mutian, however, didn't take it seriously. He sternly reprimanded Wu Ge, saying, "Don't mention those words again. If Master Yang finds out you want to marry Su Niang, he'll definitely cling to our family again." Wu Ge didn't understand and asked, "Dad, if we marry Su Niang, her father will harm us?" Cheng Mutian thought for a moment and then threatened him, "That's right. If you marry Su Niang, her father will take all your toys, snacks, guns, and clubs away." Wu Ge pouted, climbed onto a chair, kicked his little legs in the air, and muttered, "Her father is so bad, Su Niang is so pitiful..."

Xiao Yuan's heart softened, and she discussed with Cheng Mutian, "Su Niang is indeed pitiful. Besides, our family is not afraid of Master Yang's mischief now. Why don't we bring her to our home to study and let her eat two bowls of rice?"

Bringing her to the affiliated school was just to fill her stomach? Cheng Mutian stared blankly at Xiaoyuan, as if he had returned to more than ten years ago, when Xiaoyuan, like Su Niang, was hungry and cold. In order to have a chance to help her, he had thought of bringing her to the Cheng family to attend school, but unfortunately, Master Cheng and Madam Jiang did not agree, so it did not happen.

Seeing his expression, Xiaoyuan knew he was recalling the past, so she gently shook his hand. Cheng Mutian immediately gripped her hand tightly and replied with a "okay".

However, just as all illegitimate daughters in the world are in the same situation, all legitimate mothers in the world have the same attitude. Madam Yang refused to let Su Niang go to the Cheng family to study. She said that the girls of the Yang family only need to learn needlework and cooking. As for reading, she would teach them to recognize two characters at home, which would be enough.

Upon receiving this news, Cheng Mutian comforted Xiaoyuan, saying, "Perhaps the customs in Quanzhou are different from those in Lin'an, and girls don't go to school there." After all, she was someone else's child, so Xiaoyuan couldn't say anything. She could only turn a blind eye to Wu Ge's behavior of occasionally bringing food to Su Niang.

Cheng Mutian's analysis of Yangjiazhuang's economic situation was remarkably accurate. The very next day, Master Yang sent someone to borrow grain. Xiao Yuan asked in surprise, "You must still have some savings, right? How come you're already in a situation where you need to borrow grain to survive?" Cheng Mutian replied, "This is a test, to gauge our attitude." Xiao Yuan asked, "So, should we lend this grain or not?" Cheng Mutian smiled, summoned Tian Da, and instructed him to take several loads of sorghum, which was the villagers' food, to Yangjiazhuang. Xiao Yuan laughed, "That's right, the paddy fields won't be planted until next year, and this is all we have right now." As the saying goes, poverty makes people lose their will. Upon receiving Cheng Mutian's sorghum, Master Yang understood his meaning and became much more restrained in his actions, lest he offend the Cheng family and be unable to borrow even sorghum in the future.

Another day passed, and when dinner was ready, Zhonglang arrived. Xiaoyuan instructed Sister-in-law Yu to help him wash his hands and face before he sat down to eat. Although Zhonglang was a bit slow-witted, he wasn't shy at all. He leaned over the table, grabbed a piece of lamb bone in one hand and a handful of stir-fried bamboo shoots in the other, and before he could even put them in his mouth, he had already spilled soup all over himself. Cheng Mutian wanted to grab him and slap him a few times. Wu Ge, standing to the side, fanned the flames, saying, "Uncle is definitely of a higher generation and gets better treatment. If it were me, I would definitely get a scolding from Dad."

Cheng Mutian glanced at Sister-in-law Yu, who quickly explained, "Zhonglang doesn't know how to use chopsticks yet." Cheng Mutian abruptly took away the rice bowl in front of Zhonglang and handed it to Sister-in-law Yu, saying, "Set up another table next to him and feed him." Zhonglang burst into tears, and Xiaoyuan quickly comforted him, saying, "Be good, your nephews will all eat with you, okay?"