Sécurité

Chapitre 27

Although Cailian was a maid, she had always lived in a large, secluded mansion and rarely had the chance to see the servants. Therefore, it was normal that she didn't find anyone she liked. When Xiaoyuan saw Ayun and Acai entering the room carrying tins of flower tea, she smiled and said, "Alright, I'll keep an eye out for you and find you both good husbands." Cailian and Acai blushed when they heard this, but Ayun muttered a couple of times, "I'm waiting for Sun Dalang." Everyone pretended not to hear and went to wash their hands to brew osmanthus tea.

A few days later, before Sister Cheng's letter even reached Quanzhou, Master Cheng's letter arrived first. This time, Cheng Mutian was the first to open the envelope. After reading only a few lines, his expression became unnatural. He abruptly cut off a section of the letter and handed the bottom half to Xiaoyuan.

Because the room was full of maids and servants, Xiao Yuan couldn't easily snatch the letter from him, so she took half of it to read. As she read, she exclaimed in amazement, "The stepmother's family is indeed wealthy. They're even moving the whole family to Lin'an first to buy up all the dowry land before sending their daughter off. But I guess it's because their family's wealth is being eyed by the clan, and they're afraid of being forced to adopt a son, so they've decided to hide away." After reading the letter, she looked up and saw Cheng Mutian still crumpling the other half of the letter. Thinking he was unhappy about having a stepmother, she smiled and comforted him, "Even I, as a daughter-in-law, am not afraid of having another mother-in-law setting rules, so what are you worried about?"

Cheng Mutian forced a smile. He asked for a boat at the dock, then left alone without eating. Xiao Yuan, ever observant, quickly sent someone to secretly follow him. A short while later, a report came back saying that the young master had gone to his family's pharmacy, where he had gone to talk to Doctor Jiang, who usually treated Master Cheng, in the back.

Cailian came in with the reward money. She asked Xiaoyuan, "Madam, should we inquire further?" Xiaoyuan shook her head and said, "Since they are looking for Doctor Jiang, it must be for Master's illness. Father-in-law is not like mother-in-law. Since the son is worried, I'll just pretend I don't know."

Just then, Cheng San Niang came looking for Xiao Yuan, carrying Cheng Si Niang. Shyly, she asked if Master Cheng had sent any letters from Quanzhou. Xiao Yuan knew she wanted to inquire about Gan Yuandi. However, no letter had arrived from the Gan family. She could only comfort her, saying, "Gan Twelve has already bribed a scholar. He says he'll be coming to Lin'an next year to take the imperial examination. He must be studying hard at home now, which is why he hasn't had time to write."

Cheng San Niang's thoughts were guessed. Her cheeks flushed red. She shyly shielded Cheng Si Niang in front of her, saying, "I was asking about Father. Sister-in-law, you're talking about other things." Cheng Si Niang waved her little arms at Xiao Yuan, excitedly calling her "Sister-in-law." Xiao Yuan quickly took her and kissed her. Then she asked someone to bring Wu Ge to her. Cheng San Niang noticed the sealed letter on the table and asked, "Father wrote? Are you settling in well in Quanzhou?"

Xiao Yuan, with one arm around Xiao Si Niang and the other around Wu Ge, laughed and said, "It's just a letter from home. You're not illiterate, just take it and read it yourself." Cheng San Niang took the letter, read it, and silently folded it back into the sealed envelope. She remained silent for a long time, ignoring even Xiao Si Niang calling her "sister." Xiao Yuan asked her with concern, "Are you afraid that your stepmother will come and impose rules? You're a very proper person, so even if your stepmother comes in, she won't be able to find fault with you. What are you afraid of?"

Cheng San Niang secretly glanced at her expression and tentatively asked, "Sister-in-law, aren't you afraid that your stepmother will take over the household?" Xiao Yuan gave her a deep look, called the wet nurse to take the two children out, and then said, "It's only natural for the mother-in-law to take charge; how can you be afraid?" Cheng San Niang nodded in agreement, but couldn't help but shed tears. Xiao Yuan comforted her, saying, "Your stepmother comes from a respectable family; she certainly won't make things difficult for you. Don't worry." Cheng San Niang neither nodded nor shook her head, wiped her tears with her handkerchief, and politely took her leave.

Cailian saw her to the courtyard gate and turned back to Xiaoyuan, saying, "Madam, when our old lady enters the family, this Third Sister might be up to something behind the scenes." Xiaoyuan took Wuge back and hugged him, patting him gently, and laughed, "Now that I have a son, I'm content. I wish I could just close the gates of this little courtyard and live my life. Let them do whatever they want. If this stepmother really doesn't like Third Sister, we'll just give her some money. What expenses could a girl like her possibly have?"

When Cheng Mutian returned home that evening, worried that his wife would ask about the missing half of the letter, he hurriedly ate a few mouthfuls of rice and rushed into the inner room. Xiaoyuan, fully aware of his intentions, pretended to know nothing, simply making the bed and patting the pillows, without uttering a word. Cheng Mutian waited for a while, and seeing that she truly seemed to have forgotten the letter, he became delighted, pounced on her, and pressed her onto the bed, proclaiming that he wanted to engage in marital relations. Xiaoyuan was startled and exclaimed, "What is marital relations?" Cheng Mutian, annoyed by her loud voice, quickly leaned down and covered her mouth, his hands busy pulling at her skirt, mumbling, "Let your husband teach you how to engage in marital relations." Xiaoyuan gently bit his tongue, taking advantage of his pain to pull away, and deliberately teased, "I haven't even seen our son yet." Cheng Mutian, unable to stop, panted, "That damned doctor, he wouldn't let me touch you since you were eight months pregnant, and I've endured it for over four months!"

Who would have thought that Cheng Erlang, who was so proper outside that he wouldn't even dare to help his wife, would be so eager and thirsty behind closed doors? Xiao Yuan wanted to laugh but was afraid of angering him, so she could only wrap her arms tightly around his waist to thank him for his hard work and forbearance over the past few months.

With Master Cheng away, the young couple were enjoying themselves immensely, spending their nights sweating and contemplating matters of human relations. Before they knew it, the October Festival was over, and a ship from Quanzhou docked at the pier. Several unfamiliar servants and maids disembarked and went straight to the Cheng family. They found Cheng Mutian and Xiaoyuan separately and told them the same thing: Master Cheng and his in-laws, Master Qian and his family, would be arriving in Lin'an in three days. Master Qian had prepared a box of gold and silver in advance and insisted that the young master and young mistress have all the servants in the house ready before they set foot on the pier in Lin'an.

Xiao Yuan stared blankly at the box full of gold and silver ingots for a long time. "Although it's my duty to help my stepmother's family, I feel like I'm indebted to them." Cheng Mutian returned from the shop, slammed two gold ingots on the ground, and said angrily, "You gave me this for helping with a small favor. What do you take me for?"

Seeing that both of them looked unhappy, Cailian laughed and said, "If it were anyone else, they would be overjoyed to see how generous the stepmother's family is. Only our young master and mistress are willing to help, and they are complaining that others shouldn't give them money." Xiaoyuan was amused and personally picked up the two gold ingots and put them into the box, locked the lid, and ordered, "Use this amount of gold to buy a house and servants. Don't leave a single coin."

Cheng Mutian thought to himself, "My wife is really good at handling things." But he never said anything praising his wife in front of others. He only said, "The Qian family doesn't have a lot of money, but they love to spend more than the average person. You should quickly tell them to make a few more fashionable clothes for Wu Ge so that people won't laugh at them."

Wu Ge is not even two months old yet, what kind of fashionable clothes does he need? Xiao Yuan was in a daze for half a day before she came to her senses. This was a roundabout way of telling her to make new clothes for herself. She suppressed a smile and called over Sister Zhu and instructed her: "Arrange for people to hurry up and make new clothes for Third Sister and Fourth Sister. The fabric and style must be the most fashionable in Lin'an Prefecture."

Cheng Mutian was alarmed to see that his loving heart for his wife had been diverted to his two younger sisters: "You're only making food for them, what about my son?" Xiao Yuan stood up and gently pinched him behind the servants' backs, saying, "Don't we know what kind of person your stepmother is? Making such a fuss so early is annoying."

The wife was worried that her mother-in-law would make things difficult for her, so she didn't even dare to wear her new clothes? Cheng Mutian felt both heartache and sadness, but he had to be filial, so he couldn't say anything. He could only secretly pray that his stepmother, who was not yet married into the family, would be a good mother-in-law who would treat her daughter-in-law well.

Chapter Seventy-Eight: Master's Wedding (Part 1)

Now, the steward who was instructed by Xiao Yuan to purchase a house for the Qian family, searched all over Lin'an Prefecture and found that the broker had bought the most expensive four-courtyard mansion. He crammed about twenty servants into each courtyard, but there was still half a chest of gold and silver left untouched. He dared not make the decision on his own, so he specially went to Xiao Yuan to report that he was bad at spending money and asked the young mistress to punish him.

Xiao Yuan led him to Master Cheng's main room, pointed to the calligraphy and paintings by famous people on the wall, and said with a smile, "Is our house too simply decorated? It's causing you trouble with this. Do you have any music, books, calligraphy, or paintings prepared?"

The steward said with a wry smile, "Madam, the walls are covered with the most fashionable landscape paintings, and the vases are filled with the most expensive silk flowers. I even added a scorched-tail guqin. Even so, half of the gold and silver in that chest is still left. Speaking of which, our family is considered one of the wealthiest merchants in Lin'an, but we spend money less than him."

Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "If our family were like this, wouldn't you be even more troubled every day?" She then pointed out to him, "The weather is getting cold soon, so you should buy more emerald woolen mattresses and sable mattresses, as well as brocade curtains and pearl curtains. There are also tiger-skin warm mats, gold spittoons, and gold-embroidered curtains..." She rattled off a long list, and fearing that he might not remember it, she had Cai Lian write it down in a booklet for him.

The steward took the booklet and flipped through it, then hesitated and said, "Madam, I'm afraid we still won't be able to spend it all." Xiao Yuan tapped the table and decisively ordered, "Then we'll build them another courtyard outside the city, with lakeside pavilions, craggy rocks, and whatever is most valuable."

The master and servant racked their brains and finally spent all the gold and silver in the chest. Before Xiao Yuan could even rest, a messenger from the dock reported that Master Qian had arrived in Lin'an with several large ships fully loaded with goods and was waiting for the young mistress to send porters to meet him. She dared not delay and quickly selected a dozen of her most reliable servants to help Master Qian move his belongings at the dock. She also sent someone to inform the servants in the Qian household to be alert and serve him well.

Master Cheng accompanied his future father-in-law off the ship and first visited his new residence. He was quite dissatisfied with his daughter-in-law's lavish decor and scolded her upon returning, "How could you spend all that gold and silver on the house? You didn't even save a little for yourself!" He treated his father-in-law like an outsider in front of his daughter-in-law, and Xiao Yuan didn't know how to respond. Fortunately, she had her grandson, Xiao Wu, and quickly ordered someone to bring him to see his grandfather. The precious grandson was indeed a magic potion; Master Cheng could only smile as soon as he held him, saying, "I've seen the family genealogy; my grandson is the twenty-eighth in line."

Xiao Yuan chuckled to herself, thankful she had given him a nickname, otherwise calling him "Twenty-Eighth Brother" would be awkward for many people. Cheng Mutian probably had the same thought, pursed his lips and said, "I've already given him the nickname 'Wu-ge' (Brother Wu), but please tell me his formal name, Father."

Master Cheng chuckled and glanced at his grandson. "I had a fortune teller consulted in Quanzhou. He said the boy was lacking the element of wood in his Five Elements. So let's name him Cheng Zilin."

Seeing that he was happy, Cheng San Niang, who had been waiting for a long time, brought Xiao Si Niang to see her father. Master Cheng's face immediately fell: "Your stepmother will be moving in in a few days. Don't come out unless necessary. Otherwise, she'll think I've taken many concubines."

Cheng San Niang didn't dare to retort. She responded softly, her eyes reddening, and led Xiao Si Niang away. Seeing them leave, Master Cheng put on a smiling face again. Holding his grandson, he murmured to himself, "Wu Ge, your grandfather married you all for your sake. All that dowry will be yours in the future."

Xiao Yuan overheard the gist of what was said. Just then, Master Cheng called to her, "Daughter-in-law, the Qian family and I have already agreed that the wedding will take place once they have prepared the dowry. You will need to take care of the betrothal gifts." When had her father-in-law ever been so polite? Xiao Yuan understood that he was trying to get rid of her. She quickly stepped forward to take Wu Ge away and led the servants away.

She returned to her room and ordered Cailian to retrieve the betrothal gift list from Cheng Mutian and her years ago. It listed pearls, jewelry, embroidered skirts, satin, tea cakes, and other items. She then instructed someone to prepare them accordingly.

Cailian hesitated and said, "Madam, I heard that the Qian family has a huge dowry. Should we increase our betrothal gifts as well?" Xiaoyuan shook her head and said, "Didn't you hear? Master is complaining that I'm too generous to the Qian family. Why should I spend more of our own money and then get blamed?"

Two days later, after the betrothal gifts were prepared, she sent the list to Master Cheng for his review. As expected, she received several compliments. She couldn't help but feel sorry for her future stepmother, thinking that Master Cheng was probably more enthusiastic about the dowry than she was.

When Aunt Chen heard that her family was going to marry a stepmother, she was afraid that her daughter, who had never handled such matters before, would not know the proper etiquette, so she came over to help her. She laughed and said, "You've already married your birth mother, and now you're going to marry for your father-in-law. You're really a prodigy." When Xiao Yuan saw her mother, she said happily, "I was just worried about how to make the betrothal. Luckily, I still have my own mother." Aunt Chen personally took charge, directing the servants to prepare eight gold-plated wine bottles, decorated with large silver square ornaments, and then covered them with silk veils. She also took four pieces of gold-embroidered colored paper, asked a calligrapher to write three marriage notices, put them in red and green gold-embroidered fish bags, and put them together into a wooden box painted with five men and two women. She then had someone wrap them in colorful sheep and send them to the Qian family.

Xiao Yuan was dazzled by the sights and thanked her, saying, "If it weren't for Auntie today, I'm afraid I would have been laughed at." Auntie Chen hugged Wu Ge in her arms and laughed at her, saying, "You should learn from her. When my grandson gets married in the future, you'll have to take care of everything yourself." Xiao Yuan hugged her arm and acted coquettishly for a while, then ordered the cook to prepare fresh goose meat and invited her to stay for dinner.

Aunt Chen sighed, "When I married you off, I thought I'd suffer less without a mother-in-law. Who knew your husband would take a second wife after his concubine left?" Xiao Yuan comforted her, "No one will make me suffer. I'm still in charge of the household, aren't I?" Aunt Chen knew her daughter wasn't one to be easily manipulated, but she still felt sorry for her having to establish proper conduct in front of her mother-in-law. So, just like when she was little, she hugged and patted her for half a day. At the dinner table, she explained the rules of betrothal and dowry to her in detail, and only left when the sun was setting.

Not long after the Cheng family presented their betrothal gifts, the Qian family sent back a list of betrothal gifts, including estates, shops, gold and silver jewelry, and silks and satins, totaling a full two hundred thousand strings of cash. Xiao Yuan held the list and sighed that money makes things easy. She then ordered people to prepare the "three golds": gold, gold bracelets, and gold pendants. Since both Master Cheng and Master Qian had been officials, she also added gold-embroidered long sleeves, a yellow silk skirt with gold embroidery, a long red satin skirt, a pearl and jade hair ornament, and fine, fine colored satin. In addition, she added auspicious flower tea, fruits, and mutton wine, and sent them to the Qian family as betrothal gifts through a matchmaker wearing a purple vest.

With the betrothal gifts and dowry exchanged, the financial dowry was merely a formality. Old Master Qian had been waiting for over thirty years to find a suitable son-in-law, and he was even more eager than Old Master Cheng. He sent people to prepare the house before the Winter Solstice, wanting to send his daughter over as soon as possible. Xiao Yuan had no choice but to busily prepare for the wedding. Fortunately, all the relevant departments and bureaus were present, and organizing banquets was their forte. Cooking, welcoming guests, and serving wine were all handled without anyone having to worry about it.

On the wedding day, she directed people to carry out vases, candles, incense balls, dressing cases, photo stands, skirt chests, clothing boxes, knotted cloths, parasols, and chairs early in the morning. She hired musicians and attendants, and invited matchmakers to take the bridal sedan chair to the Qian family to fetch the bride on behalf of Master Cheng.

Xiao Yuan had been busy for a month or so, but when the wedding procession left, she had some free time. She and Cheng Mutian set up a charcoal stove to grill mutton skewers, and she also asked Cai Lian to invite Cheng San Niang and Cheng Si Niang over.

Although Cheng San Niang was afraid of her brother who always grilled meat for his sister-in-law with a stern face, she still had some childlike qualities. She was very curious about the double-sided wire mesh clips, so she sat down next to Xiao Yuan, took a skewer of mushrooms to grill herself, and quietly asked, "Sister-in-law, why didn't you and brother go out for a drink? Is it because Father is afraid that our stepmother will be unhappy, so he won't allow you to go?"

Cheng Mutian was right next to the small round plot, so how could he not hear? He said unhappily, "Whatever Father says, we children should do as he says. How can you and I have the right to argue about right and wrong?"

After being scolded by her brother, Cheng San Niang was so frightened that she dropped the half-ripe mushrooms and stood up with her head down. Xiao Yuan quickly pulled her down to sit again, stuck out her tongue at her, and mouthed the words "filial son," which made Cheng San Niang's lips curl up. Even Xiao Si Niang, who was only one year old, giggled and rushed into her sister-in-law's arms to beg for meat.

The room, with its chimney, was warm and cozy. Little Wu was fast asleep in his cradle, Third Sister Cheng was studying the barbed wire with delight, Fourth Sister Xiao was feeding Little Yuan meat with her little hand, and even Cheng Mutian, who had a stern face, had a hint of a smile on his face.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside, followed by the sound of footsteps growing louder and louder until they stopped at the door. "Young Master, Young Madam, the bridal sedan chair is blocking the door. A crazy woman suddenly appeared out of nowhere, insisting that she is the master's concubine and has come to pay her respects to the principal wife."

Cheng San Niang glanced at Xiao Si Niang, and without Xiao Yuan's instruction, picked her up and hid away. Cai Lian let the messenger maid in, which turned out to be Huai Hua. Xiao Yuan asked, "If that woman wants to pay respects, just let her pay respects randomly. We can't just not let the sedan chair in, can we?"

Huaihua replied, "Young Madam, she is holding a cup of cold tea and says that she will not get up if the First Madam does not drink the tea she offers."

Cheng Mutian picked up the wire mesh and banged it heavily on the stove, saying impatiently, "It's no big deal, just have someone drag it away."

Huaihua said, "I've wanted to drag her away for a long time, but the onlookers outside are making a fuss, saying that it's Aunt Ding who gave birth to Fourth Sister. The Qian family's wedding guests are right at the door, and the master doesn't dare to make a move. He asked me to come and ask the madam for advice."

Xiao Yuan felt a headache coming on. She regretted not finding an excuse to escape sooner. Aunt Ding had already caused a great uproar by biting Master Cheng in public at the Cheng family's gate. If another incident were to happen now, the Cheng family would probably never be able to save face again.

She was caught in a dilemma when someone outside came to urge her: "Young mistress, the female relatives are all asking about that concubine, and the master is so anxious he's jumping up and down."

Cheng Mutian suddenly asked, "What did the old lady say before she even entered the house?" Xiao Yuan couldn't help but laugh, "She must be sitting comfortably in the bridal sedan chair, what could she possibly say?"

Chapter Seventy-Eight: Master's Wedding (Part Two)

When Mu Tian heard that the new wife would not express her opinion while hiding in the bridal sedan chair, he frowned. No matter how filial he was, he knew that it was not appropriate for a son to interfere in his father's disputes over wives and concubines.

Xiao Yuan, recalling the previous incident of washing the baby, suggested, "Why don't we go out to avoid the cold again?" Cheng Mutian was in a dilemma, but upon hearing this suggestion, he immediately agreed. Cai Lian immediately called over several maids to start packing their luggage. However, before they had finished packing a few bundles, a third messenger arrived with news: "Young master, young mistress, there's no need to come up with any ideas. The new mistress has already drunk that cup of tea and invited Aunt Ding into the house."

Cheng Mutian waved away the messenger, somewhat annoyed: "I should have beaten him to death with a few strokes of the cane back then. With someone like that coming into the house, there will be no peace in the household." Cailian also said: "I didn't expect the new madam to be so good-natured. She's just a rented concubine. What's wrong with sending her back with the contract?"

Xiao Yuan slowly flipped the meat skewers over the fire, thinking to herself, "I don't think this new lady is as kind-hearted as you all think. She probably resents Aunt Ding for interrupting her happy occasion and wants to take her into the mansion to deal with her slowly." Because there was a "filial son" nearby, she didn't dare voice these thoughts. She simply handed over the two golden-brown skewers, smiling, "It's none of our business as juniors to interfere in the affairs of our elders. Let's eat and drink and rest early; we still have to pay our respects to the emperor tomorrow." Cheng Mutian was extremely satisfied with her attitude. After finishing the roasted meat, he took her into the inner room to sleep, and their night of tenderness was left unmentioned.

The next day, the couple got up very early, carrying their son and account books, and went to pay their respects to Master Cheng and Madam Qian.

When the two arrived at Master Cheng's courtyard, Madam Qian was already seated in the hall. She wore a white horned crown, with red makeup on her cheeks and lips, and a yellow silk skirt with gold embroidery and wide sleeves, revealing her large, bound feet. She was truly a beauty. Cheng Mutian greeted them with Xiao Yuan, and then had the wet nurse bring Wu Ge over. Madam Qian, perhaps still adjusting to being a grandmother so soon after becoming a new bride, gave them a gift and then said nothing more.

Seeing the awkward silence, Xiao Yuan was about to present the account book when Aunt Ding appeared at the door with a beaming smile. She quickly stood up to greet her, but heard Madam Qian slowly say from the hall, "Your daughter-in-law is the legitimate wife of the eldest son, a proper wife. How can a concubine accept your courtesy?" Adhering to the principle of minding her own business, and seeing her stepmother about to discipline the concubine, Xiao Yuan quickly quieted down and sat back down. Master Cheng coughed twice and called out to Erlang, "Something's come up at the shop. Let's go take a look." With that, he and Cheng Mutian hurried out.

It seems this stepmother is quite capable; she managed to subdue her father-in-law in just one night. Xiao Yuan chuckled to herself as she got up, intending to escape like Master Cheng, but Madam Qian stopped her, saying, "I've only just entered the Cheng family home and I'm completely clueless. Won't you teach me, daughter-in-law?"

Xiao Yuan hurriedly said she dared not, and sat down again. Madam Qian ordered someone to bring her hot tea, but didn't even offer Ding Yiniang a stool. She still spoke in that slow, deliberate tone: "I entered the household late, so it's normal for the master to have a concubine or two. I don't care how you lived before, but from now on you must serve the master wholeheartedly with me. If you do well, you'll be rewarded; if you make a mistake, don't blame me for the punishment."

Aunt Ding opened her mouth, but before she could utter a sound, Madam Qian pointed to her clothes and said, "There is a distinction between the noble and the lowly. Our Cheng family is quite prominent in Lin'an. This coat is not for you. Go back and change into a vest before you come to pay your respects." Aunt Ding had offered Madam Qian that cup of tea yesterday, thinking she was easy to bully. Little did she expect that Madam Qian's subtle and ruthless methods were no less effective than Xiao Yuan's. She regretted returning to the Cheng family home and dejectedly stepped over the threshold to go back to her room to change her clothes.

Madam Qian turned to Xiao Yuan with a slight smile: "My concubine in the house has been unruly. I'm sorry for making you laugh." Xiao Yuan quickly stood up and bowed her head, presenting the account book: "These are the household accounts. Mother, please take a look. If there's anything wrong, call me back." Madam Qian shook her head: "You manage them perfectly well. Why give them to me?" Xiao Yuan was genuinely respectful to her mother-in-law. However, Madam Qian wasn't just being polite. After several rounds of back and forth, Xiao Yuan, as the daughter-in-law, ultimately lost out and put the account book away again.

Madam Qian had someone fetch some food from Quanzhou. She then gently inquired about the customs of Lin'an. Neither of them were outspoken or rude. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted quite amiably, which relieved Cheng San Niang, who had come to see her new mother. Madam Qian didn't seem to notice anything amiss when she saw Cheng San Niang. She only stared at Si Niangzi beside her and asked, "Judging by her appearance, is she the one born to Consort Ding?"

Xiao Yuan bowed slightly and answered with a "yes." She walked to Xiao Si Niang's side and taught her to greet Madam Qian. Xiao Si Niang had been taught by Madam Sun when she arrived. She called out "Mother" in a childish voice, which brought a slight smile to Madam Qian's face. Xiao Yuan took the opportunity to say, "There has been no mistress of the house for a long time. The daughter-in-law has been acting as a mother. Now that Mother is here, let her stay with you."

Madam Qian slowly blew on the tea, tasting it to check the saltiness. Only then did she speak, "Doesn't she have a birth mother?" Xiao Yuan smiled, "How could a mere servant like her teach her mistress? Besides, isn't this the rule in our Great Song Dynasty? Children, regardless of whether they are legitimate or illegitimate, must live with their legal mother." Madam Qian put down her teacup, her face revealing neither joy nor anger. Her tone remained as slow as ever: "In that case, I'll clear out a room for her in my courtyard."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuan left Xiao Si Niang behind, only taking Cheng San Niang with her to help her move things.

When Madam Sun heard that Fourth Miss was going to live with her stepmother, she hurriedly said, "Madam, since Fourth Miss now has a stepmother to teach her, I'd better go back to your room." Xiao Yuan nodded, "You're so thoughtful. Just let the wet nurse go with her. Everyone else can stay. Otherwise, people will gossip and say that I don't trust my stepmother."

After all of Fourth Sister's belongings had been delivered

He pulled Cheng San Niang back to her room to eat sweet fermented rice balls, and said with a smile, "Thank goodness you came, my burden has been greatly reduced." Cheng San Niang paused in her spoon: "Sister-in-law, have you handed over the accounts?"

Xiao Yuan said, "I don't think this stepmother is a mean person. Even if she manages the accounts, she won't mistreat you." Upon hearing this, Cheng San Niang knew that her sister-in-law was still in charge of the household. She was very happy and swallowed the rice ball in two bites. She took Wu Ge from the wet nurse's arms and took him out to play.

Xiao Yuan picked up the account book and flipped through it. She then ordered someone to clean up the courtyard where Aunt Ding used to live, keeping the servants and monthly allowance the same. After a while, Madam Qian came from the front and said, "Aunt Ding is now a concubine with a contract of life and death. She doesn't need that much monthly allowance. Cut it in half." Xiao Yuan was very obedient and immediately did as she was told. Madam Qian was satisfied, but Aunt Ding was not happy. She rushed to the door, claiming that she had a shocking secret and wanted to see the young mistress.

Xiao Yuan had people stop her from entering, saying, "You now have a principal wife, so go find her if you need anything." But Aunt Ding said, "Young mistress, do you know about the master's illness?" Xiao Yuan's heart skipped a beat. Suddenly remembering Cheng Mutian's mysterious ways, she couldn't suppress her curiosity and ordered people to let her in. She then dismissed all the servants, leaving only Cailian to serve her.

Seeing this, Aunt Ding assumed that Xiao Yuan knew something, so she became bolder and said, "Young Madam, you really don't need to be so respectful in front of Madam. Sooner or later, she will have to live according to your whims. Master's words are no longer valid. I am already blessed by God that I was able to give birth to Fourth Sister. If I am not mistaken, she is still a virgin."

Xiao Yuan was taken aback and scolded, "Don't talk nonsense! Master only has diabetes." Aunt Ding sneered, "Don't you know, young mistress? Diabetes can worsen over time. Besides, I'm Master's wife; how could I not know whether he's capable or not?" Xiao Yuan knew Aunt Ding was used to underhanded tactics. Although she believed her words to some extent, she still pretended to be uninterested: "What does my father-in-law's business have to do with me?"

Aunt Ding glanced at the account book in front of her. "It wouldn't sound good if word got out about this—Young Madam, I don't need the money, and my own daughter isn't here with me." Cailian, a girl who had been shyly standing to the side for a long time, suddenly felt a surge of anger upon hearing this. She thought to herself, "If it weren't for the Young Madam saving you back then, you would probably be dead in the woodshed by now. Now that we've met, not only do I not hear a word of thanks, but you're even threatening me." Fearing that Xiaoyuan would be in a difficult position, she spoke first: "Aunt Ding, even if the Young Madam wants to help you, she needs to give you an explanation, after all, there's your mother-in-law behind you."

Xiao Yuan found it increasingly strange and asked, "Why don't you tell Madam what you're saying? Isn't she afraid it will get out?" Aunt Ding was still looking at the account book and said, "She has no money, what's the use of talking to her?" Xiao Yuan found it extremely troublesome. It wasn't that she didn't know how to deal with it, but as a daughter-in-law, how could she manage the mess in her father-in-law's room?

Cailian knew that Xiaoyuan had some things she couldn't say aloud. As her personal maid, she naturally had to share her mistress's worries, so she said, "Aunt Ding, who would believe you if you said such things? Fourth Miss is right there. Do you want others to say that she's not Master's biological daughter?"

The maid was clever, which made things easier for her mistress. Xiao Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and cooperated, saying, "Don't talk nonsense. Fourth Mistress still has some manners."

Aunt Ding was confused by the two women's coordinated attack and stood up, saying, "If you don't believe me, I'll go and talk to Madam and have her come and ask you for the money."

Xiao Yuan watched her leave the room, then leaned weakly against the couch and sighed, "She used to only do things in secret, but now she dares to say it to my face. Has she become smarter or stupider?" Cai Lian was still angry that she was ungrateful and said, "Of course she's become stupider. If Master wants to beat her again this time, I'll be the first to hand over the board." Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "If we can hand over the board, what's the big deal? Let's take advantage of our stepmother's lack of attention to other things and enjoy ourselves for a few days."

That evening, she told Cheng Mutian about Aunt Ding's visit. Cheng Mutian immediately wanted to have someone drag her to the woodshed, but Xiaoyuan pinched him: "Why make such a fuss? You've kept it from me for so long, aren't you afraid others will find out now? Father now has a legal wife, we don't need to worry about these little things." Cheng Mutian was too embarrassed to discuss such a shameful "little thing" with her, so he covered himself with the quilt and pretended to be asleep. Xiaoyuan sat on the edge of the bed and sighed again: "No wonder Father seems a little afraid of his stepmother. She treats me so warmly and even lets me manage the accounts. It turns out he's lost interest." She still had half a sentence left to say but dared not: Master Cheng is a useless man, yet he married an old maid. What a disservice!

Cheng Mutian knew exactly what she was thinking. He pulled her into the bed and pinned her down, angrily saying, "This is a matter for our elders; you have no right to interfere." Xiaoyuan wrapped her arms around his neck, saying, "What if people say we're doing this for our stepmother's sake, that wouldn't sound good." Cheng Mutian's anger suddenly turned into helplessness: "No son can control his father's affairs. Father insists on marrying her; what can I do?" Xiaoyuan couldn't bear to see her husband in such a predicament, and quickly tried to comfort him, "I'm just saying this arbitrarily. Stepmother will definitely find a way to control Aunt Ding; no one outside will know about Father's affair."

Chapter Seventy-Nine: Suffering [Bonus Chapter]

Aunt Ding repeated those words to Madam Qian, demanding money and her daughter. She threatened her fiercely, but Madam Qian didn't take it seriously at all. She and several of her dowry maids searched Aunt Ding's courtyard briefly and somehow found a pair of men's trousers. When they asked Master Cheng, it wasn't his. Aunt Ding was terrified and her legs went weak. Master Cheng believed her and personally beat her until her head bled. He even wanted to call for someone to kill her, but Madam Qian pulled him aside and pinched him hard: "You don't even keep a concubine in your house, do you think everyone knows you're so bad?" Master Cheng had only married her for money, but now he felt she was extremely virtuous, as if he had gotten a great deal, and he walked with a light step.

Madam Qian, having taken the blame for Aunt Ding's mistake, became even more affectionate towards her, calling her over to serve her every day, even when there was nothing else to do. One day, Xiao Yuan received the three-day celebration gifts from the Qian family and hurriedly took them to Madam Qian, showing her the crown, colorful satin, and goose eggs one by one. Little Fourth Sister, seeing the round goose eggs for the first time, stretched out her little hand to ask for them. Madam Qian held the goose eggs in front of her, but waved them back and forth. Aunt Ding, holding a tea tray, seeing her daughter's eagerness, quickly dropped the tray, took a goose egg, and handed it to Little Fourth Sister. Unexpectedly, Little Fourth Sister burst into tears and threw herself into Madam Qian's arms.

Aunt Ding stared blankly at the goose egg in her hand, then at Xiao Si Niang. "Si Niang, I am your birth mother." Xiao Si Niang turned her head and glanced at her, then burst into tears again. Madam Qian quickly stuffed the goose egg into her hand, coaxing her to stop crying and laugh, and she loudly called out "Mother."

Xiao Yuan watched as Madam Qian, this unfortunate woman, amused herself, and for a moment didn't know whether to sympathize with Aunt Ding or with her. Madam Qian played with the child for a while, then watched Aunt Ding leave dejectedly, completely satisfied. Only then did she go to find Master Cheng and return to her parents' home to pay her respects.

Although the Qian family mansion was not as grand as the Cheng family mansion, it was more luxurious. The room after room of valuable furnishings made Master Cheng feel uneasy. Fortunately, he remembered that the Qian family had no descendants and that all of this would be his in the future, which made him feel a little better. He then cheered up and accompanied his father-in-law to have a drink.

Madam Xin, the mother of Madam Qian, was the principal wife of Old Master Qian. When her daughter entered the room, there were seven or eight concubines serving her. After Madam Xin had arranged the tea, fruit, and snacks, she scolded them a couple of times before sending them away. Seeing that only she and her daughter were left in the room, Madam Qian told Madam Xin about her scheme against Concubine Ding.

Old Master Qian had so many concubines, but only one daughter, Madam Qian. It was all thanks to Madam Xin. She was used to using big tricks and didn't care about such a small matter. She waved her hand and said, "Such a small matter is too embarrassing to talk about while eating tea and melon seeds."

Madam Qian slowly rolled up her sleeves to show Madam Xin the mark of virginity on her arm. "Mother, find me a good family." Madam Xin was taken aback: "I thought he had so many children, but who knew he was so useless." She repeatedly asked her daughter to confirm that Master Cheng was indeed unable to perform sexually. She stood up to ask Old Master Qian to come in and discuss the divorce, but Madam Qian stopped her, saying, "Mother, I am over thirty and getting married, which is already a joke. I can't afford to lose face like this again. Besides, I am still childless at this age. Even if he is capable, he will probably be childless. Fortunately, he has a son, and I have a good dowry. I will rely on him for the future."

Madam Xin was filled with remorse. She held her daughter and wept. Then she offered her advice: "I've heard that Cheng Erlang is a promising man. You might be better off relying on him than your own son. But his wife isn't family. I can't trust her. Why don't you marry your aunt's granddaughter to him?"

Madam Qian gently shook her head: "I think she's a good person. Why break up a couple? My niece isn't willing to be a concubine." Madam Xin pointed out the furnishings in the room to her. She said, "We offered her gold and silver. She didn't want it; she's a woman of great ambition. You're all doing well now, so naturally there's no trouble. But what if you accidentally offend her one day?" Madam Qian was somewhat tempted by her words. But then she thought, "My mother would never harm me." So she lowered her head and remained silent, fiddling with her sachet.

Madam Xin knew that this meant she had agreed. She hurriedly called her personal maid to write a letter, asking her old sister to send one of her granddaughters to Lin'an.

Madam Qian's cousin was on the road. She regretted not accepting Xiao Yuan's offer to take the money. Upon returning home, she began whispering sweet nothings in Master Cheng's ear. She was inexperienced in such matters and didn't understand that not all whispered words in someone's ear constituted "pillow talk." Master Cheng, having not yet won her over, wouldn't consider her one of his own, no matter how virtuous she seemed. He became impatient after a few of her nagging words and slept in the study for two nights.

Madam Qian, having failed with Master Cheng, took advantage of Xiao Yuan's visit to pay her respects and subtly hinted at wanting control of the household. Xiao Yuan, suspicious that Xiao Yuan had refused her offer of control after only a short visit to her parents' home, pretended to be oblivious and locked the account books away securely.