Sécurité

Chapitre 37

Cheng San Niang secretly glanced at her expression and said to Gan Shier, "Sir, what about the local products from Quanzhou that we brought? Why don't we get them for my brother and sister-in-law to try?" Gan Shier slapped his head and said, "Look at my memory, I completely forgot. I'll go get them right away and pick up my brother on the way."

Xiao Yuan watched Gan Shier skip out the door and asked Cheng San Niang with a smile, "What did you want to ask him after you sent him away? Did he treat you badly, or did the Gan family upset you?" Cheng San Niang gently shook her head, "When we docked at Lin'an Wharf this morning, we hired porters to move the boxes. As soon as they heard we were from the Cheng family, they all tried to charge exorbitant prices. I had someone secretly inquire and found out that they all said the Cheng family were easy targets for swindling money, so they were treating us like fools. Sister-in-law, who exactly are these 'villagers' they're talking about?"

This younger sister-in-law, just like before she was married, only spoke halfway through her sentences. Xiao Yuan joked, "You know perfectly well why." Cheng San Niang stuck out her tongue: "How many days has it been since your stepmother returned home?" Xiao Yuan said worriedly, "Father is stubbornly refusing to go and fetch her; it's probably been four or five days." Just as she finished speaking, a maid came to report: "Aunt Ding is making a fuss about raising her monthly allowance again, and she even secretly took Fourth Sister back to her courtyard."

Xiao Yuan smiled bitterly: "When Grandma is here, I suffer; when she's not here, I have my own troubles." She then called over A Cai and instructed her: "Have someone carry a sedan chair to the Qian family to fetch Madam back for the Dragon Boat Festival. Tell them it was sent by Master; also tell Aunt Ding that she's coming back and that she should keep everything to discuss with Madam."

Before long, Gan Shier returned with Cheng Mutian, each carrying a bundle. Opening one, they found a bag of large sea snails. Gan Shier laughed, "Your family has everything, so I had to bring some seafood for Brother Wu to play with." He then untied another bundle, which contained half a bundle of seashells and a large earthenware jar. He tossed the seashells aside and picked up the jar, handing it to Xiao Yuan: "Sister-in-law, these are Quanzhou sea bamboo shoots. Take them and try them."

Xiao Yuan was about to open the jar to see how the soil bamboo shoots from the state differed from those grown on her mountain when Third Sister hurriedly said, "Sister-in-law, don't be fooled. Those are worms that grow in the sand by the sea. Don't scare you." Xiao Yuan was most afraid of such things, so upon hearing this, she quickly stuffed the jar into Cheng Mutian's arms and stood far away from him.

Gan Shier said disappointedly, "From now on, I'll have to rely on you to survive. I was hoping to use these sea bamboo shoots to curry favor with you." Xiao Yuan busied herself picking seashells and conches, ordering someone to send them to Xiao Si Niang. Hearing his pitiful story, she pointed to Cheng San Niang: "She's also a shareholder. Just ask her." Gan Shier actually went to Cheng San Niang and bowed. In front of Xiao Yuan and her husband, he begged his wife to give him some food. Xiao Yuan was happy for Cheng San Niang because of the couple's affection. Cheng Mutian, however, clenched his fists tightly, almost punching Gan Shier twice, asking him how he could be so disgraceful as a man.

Gan Shier wasn't oblivious. Seeing his brother-in-law's furious expression, he quickly put his arm around his shoulder and led him outside, saying he'd invite him for a couple of drinks. As soon as Cheng Mutian left the house, he impatiently punched him, saying, "You actually beg a woman for food? And in front of your sister-in-law no less! You've completely disgraced a man!" Gan Shier scoffed, "What's face worth? Making my wife smile is more important than anything." Cheng Mutian gritted his teeth. "If you want to appease your wife, can't you go back to your room and close the door first? What if my wife follows suit and forces me to bow my head and submit in public?"

Seeing his sullen face and silence, Gan Shier, eager to please him, pulled out a thin booklet and stuffed it into his arms, saying, "Brother, I'm giving you a treasure. I guarantee you'll like it." Cheng Mutian reached to take it out to look at it, but Gan Shier quickly pressed his hand down, saying, "Don't rush. Take your time looking at it when you get home. First, find me a house to settle down in."

Settling down is the priority. Cheng Mutian let him off the hook for the time being. He said, "No need to look. Your sister-in-law has already found a place for you. It's in the alley next to our house. It's a very quiet place. I'm just afraid you prefer a lively place, so I'll let you see it before you put down a deposit."

Gan Shier said happily, "So what if it's quiet and secluded? It's rare to be so close to your home. It's a good thing that Third Sister wants to talk to your sister-in-law. I brought some money from home and will go pay the deposit now. But the money I borrowed from you will take some time to repay." Cheng Mutian hurriedly said, "Your sister-in-law won't ask you to repay it. Don't worry about it." Gan Shier shook his head repeatedly, "I appreciate your kindness, sister-in-law, but I can't leave the money unpaid. It's a token of my love for my wife, and I can't let her take it away."

These words made Cheng Mutian's teeth ache. He didn't want to stay with him for a moment longer and hurriedly ran home, only asking Cheng Fu to take him to see a house.

When he arrived home, Cheng San Niang had already gone back to pack her luggage. In the room, only Xiao Yuan, A Yun, and A Cai were calculating the expenses for the Dragon Boat Festival. They chatted as they did so: "San Niangzi is so lucky. Gan Shier is willing to make her happy in front of so many people. Look at your young master, he only yells at me in front of others."

Cheng Mutian was terrified, fearing that his wife would make him follow in Gan Shier's footsteps. He slipped into the inner room along the wall, but Xiao Yuan had only said those words because she saw him come in. She was not about to let him go, so she lifted the curtain and followed him in.

Seeing her enter, Cheng Mutian quickly pulled out the booklet from his arms to divert her attention: "Wife, I bought this especially for you." Xiaoyuan's heart was filled with Cheng Erlang's affection, so she didn't really envy Cheng Sanniang. She had only teased him earlier. Now, seeing him hurriedly presenting this treasure, she felt that among all the men in the world, only her husband was the most adorable. She smiled at Cheng Mutian, took the booklet, and flipped through it: "Is this a booklet for drawing eyebrows or for applying rouge?"

As she flipped through the pages, her eyes widened and her face grew increasingly red. Before she had finished reading, she went to the bedside and stuffed the book under her pillow. Then, thinking it was inappropriate, she stuffed it under the bed again, scolding, "Don't take this out at night! The maids are all in the outer room right now. What if they come in and see us?"

Cheng Mutian, puzzled, crawled under the bed, pulled out the booklet, and angrily cursed Gan Shier for being indecent. Xiao Yuan quickly covered his mouth and whispered, "What are you yelling about? Do you want everyone to know you have a book of erotic pictures?" She let go and laughed, "My lord, you specially bought this for me. It's really a good thing."

Cheng Mutian turned his back, not daring to look at her, and only said, "Twelve has ruined me." Xiaoyuan grabbed the booklet, stuffed it back under the bed, and laughed, "Don't worry, your wife will avenge you. We'll give a copy to Third Sister another day." Cheng Mutian glared at her, sighing that Gan Twelve was indeed a bad influence, even corrupting his wife. Xiaoyuan said, "Then I'll burn the booklet in a fire, and clean it up completely." Cheng Mutian hurriedly said, "Why burn it? Let's try it tonight."

Xiao Yuan suppressed a laugh as she went out to collect the accounts and distribute the local products that Gan Shier had brought. The conches and seashells were very popular, and Sun Shi even made two seashell chains, one for Wu Ge and one for Xiao Si Niang; but no one dared to eat the jar of sea worms. Xiao Yuan remembered that Master Cheng had lived in Quanzhou, so she ordered someone to send some to him, but he said that was something poor people ate and refused to touch it.

When Cailian returned from the cake shop, she saw the tile on the table and asked about it curiously. Ayun told her, "Those are insects from Quanzhou, called something like 'earthworms.' The young mistress ordered me to throw them away." Cailian laughed and said, "Aunt Ren was just nagging me the other day, saying she missed eating earthworms from her hometown. I was wondering, don't we have bamboo shoots in Lin'an? Turns out, the earthworms she was talking about are insects." Ayun hurriedly went to Xiaoyuan and loudly replied, "Young mistress, Steward Ren's mother loves to eat earthworms. Why don't we give that jar to Sister Cailian as a favor?"

Xiao Yuan looked at Cai Lian's flushed face and said, "It was my mistake. I forgot that Aunt Ren is from Fujian. Quickly take it to her." Cai Lian hurriedly curtsied and thanked her, but was too embarrassed to go to the Ren family's house. She hesitated at the door with the jar in her hand. Even such a clever person can be confused when it comes to matters of the heart. Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "Have a little maid take it for you." Cai Lian snapped out of her daze and hurriedly handed the jar to a little maid, telling her the way to the Ren family's house. She then shyly begged Xiao Yuan to come back and serve her. Xiao Yuan knew that she wanted to avoid suspicion because good things were about to happen, so she nodded in agreement. However, she was curious and asked, "Since Ren Qingsong is interested in you, why didn't he take the opportunity to propose last time—when the young master misunderstood you two?" Cai Lian smiled shyly and said, "He actually has the same thoughts as me. He doesn't want to commit to a lifelong relationship based on just a few words and a few meetings." It turned out that he was also someone who pursued "free love." Xiao Yuan was overjoyed. It was truly a case of "birds of a feather flock together."

The next day, Madam Qian finally returned home, easily reprimanded Aunt Ding, and resumed taking care of Xiao Si Niang. Upon hearing of her stepmother's return, Cheng San Niang hurriedly brought Gan Shier to pay her respects and tell her about her experiences in Quanzhou. Madam Qian, captivated by the stories of her hometown, noticed the couple's warm relationship and sent someone to tell Xiao Yuan that she wanted Gan Shier and his wife to stay for the Dragon Boat Festival. Their house wasn't yet ready, and they didn't have enough servants. Xiao Yuan had already intended to have them stay for the festival, and now that her mother-in-law had agreed, she quickly ordered extra zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) to be prepared. Chapter 108: Nailing the Red Mouth

Although Gan Shier insisted on repaying the money, he was truly grateful. He immediately went to work at the toy store with his newly bought slingshot, treating it as his own shop. Xiao Yuan was also moved by his kindness and couldn't help but lend him a hand, helping Cheng San Niang find a slave trader to buy servants and cleaning the house and tidying up the trunks.

After two busy days, Gan Shier's new house was beginning to take shape. It was already the fourth day of the fifth lunar month, and the Dragon Boat Festival was just around the corner. The Song people liked to call the Dragon Boat Festival "Chongwu" or "Yulan Festival." Although this festival was not as important as the Cold Food Festival in the previous month, it was more lively. However, in the eyes of the housekeeper Xiaoyuan, this liveliness was more tedious. From the first to the fifth day, peach, willow, sunflower, pomegranate, and calamus leaves, as well as zongzi, five-colored water dumplings, seasonal fruits, and five-colored plague paper were offered at the door. Mugwort and various herbs were bound into the shape of the Heavenly Master and hung on the lintel, or a tiger head and a white tiger were hung...

The head housekeeper's long list of customs left Xiao Yuan dizzy, thinking it was just one of many traditions for the Double Fifth Festival. Cheng San Niang came to find her sister-in-law carrying a small box, smiling, "In previous years, the head housekeepers always handled everything. Why are you doing it all yourself today, sister-in-law?" Xiao Yuan glanced towards the second courtyard and said, "You'll be going to your mother-in-law's side sooner or later, so don't be so quick to mock me." Then she looked at her and smiled, "You're definitely the mistress of the house now; your words and actions are quite different from before."

Cheng San Niang handed her the box and smiled, "I came to help my sister-in-law. Take a look at the longevity threads I made, are they alright?" Cai Lian took the box, opened the lid, and took out several longevity threads from inside, placing them in front of Xiao Yuan. One thread depicted the sun and moon, another the stars, and yet another was shaped like birds and beasts. Xiao Yuan and the maids all praised the exquisite craftsmanship and ingenious designs, but Sun Shi's eyes were filled with tears. It turned out that these longevity threads, also known as "war warding off" or "avoiding war," were tied to the arm in the hope of escaping the ravages of war.

Xiao Yuan sighed, "I only knew that wearing this would bring longevity, I didn't know it had this other meaning. Don't be too sad, Aunt Sun, I heard the war is almost over and your son will be back around the end of the year." Madam Sun stroked the longevity ornament and pleaded, "Young Madam, after the Double Fifth Festival, could you grant me a day off? I want to go to the temple to pray." Xiao Yuan nodded and said, "That's no problem at all, we'll all go with you after the festival." Madam Sun thanked her, but thinking that she hadn't been able to spend several festivals with her son, she couldn't help but burst into tears and hurriedly asked A Yun to help her downstairs and comfort her.

Cailian put the longevity thread back into the box and asked, "The young mistress made nine longevity threads in total. Should we send one to each of the masters in the house?" Xiaoyuan hurriedly shook her head, "We don't have that much time. The young master, Wu-ge, and I will each keep one, and the rest will be sent to Madam. She can distribute them as she pleases." Cailian accepted the order and went to Madam Qian's place to deliver the longevity threads.

Cheng San Niang took out another longevity thread from her sleeve and tied it around Xiao Yuan's neck, smiling as she said, "This is one I made with extra care, just for you, sister-in-law." Xiao Yuan looked at it and saw that it was indeed more exquisite than the previous ones. She smiled and said, "I appreciate your kindness, but if my stepmother sees it, she'll probably have something to say." Cheng San Niang was taken aback: "My stepmother would notice such a small thing? No wonder you sent the longevity threads to my stepmother to distribute herself." Xiao Yuan fiddled with the longevity thread in her hand and said, "I picked out one that she didn't like, or one that she didn't want to give to Aunt Ding. Would I be making trouble for myself by giving it to her?"

Cheng San Niang lowered her head and said softly, "I was just laughing at you for doing everything yourself, but it turns out there are so many intricacies involved that I should learn a lot from you." Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "You can at least enjoy yourself for another three years, and besides, you're a clever and shrewd person."

When the stewardess came to say something, Cheng San Niang quickly took her leave.

Xiao Yuan looked up. It turned out to be the purchasing maid. She brought a large plate for her to see: "Young Madam, this is seasonal items: white silk threads, mugwort flowers, silver drum-shaped flowers, intricately painted fans, fragrant sugar, fruits, zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), white rice balls..." Xiao Yuan instinctively felt dizzy from being nagged so much. She quickly ordered her to lay out all the items on the plate before continuing.

The purchasing woman smiled shyly. She took out one item first: "This is a hundred-knot thread." Xiao Yuan looked up and saw it was a longevity thread. She nodded slightly: "With the war raging outside, give each servant one for protection." The purchasing woman placed the remaining items on the table. Xiao Yuan looked at them. There were two kinds of artemisia flowers. One was cut from silk, and the other from paper. She instructed: "Send a box of silk patterns to the madam's room. Keep a few paper patterns for the sewing room. The maids and servants who want to wear them can cut them out themselves according to the patterns."

The purchasing agent's wife nodded in agreement. She continued looking around. The silver-plated drum-shaped decorations, painted fans, fragrant candies, and fruits were all fine. She only asked what the filling of the zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) was. The purchasing agent's wife replied, "These are plain white zongzi distributed to the servants. The kitchen will make separate ones for the masters." Xiao Yuan examined them closely. Sure enough, the Dragon Boat Festival fruits and white dumplings were all of average quality. She said, "It's a festival. Add some sugar water." The purchasing agent's wife smiled and said, "The young mistress is so considerate of her servants." Seeing that Xiao Yuan had no further instructions, she took the plate and left to make more sweet zongzi.

The purchasing lady had just left when Ah Xiu led several maids in carrying a statue of Zhang Tianshi. It had mugwort as its head and garlic as its fist. Xiao Yuan covered her mouth and laughed. Ah Zhu scolded her for being disrespectful to the Tianshi. She then took out several five-colored peach-shaped seals and hung them on the curtains and screens, claiming they could ward off evil spirits.

Xiao Yuan was overwhelmed by the numerous customs of the Dragon Boat Festival. Seeing someone knowledgeable arrive, she was secretly delighted. She slipped aside, leaving everything to the knowledgeable person.

Ah Xiu was indeed able to share the burden for her master. After finishing her work on the fourth day, she came again early on the fifth day. Without waiting for Xiao Yuan's instructions, she led Cai Lian and the others to rummage through a drawer full of old medicinal herbs, piled them up in the courtyard and burned them, claiming that this could ward off the plague.

Xiao Yuan was thoroughly overwhelmed by the smell of medicine and smoke in the courtyard, so she quickly carried Wu Ge into the house. Cheng Mutian took out a small red and white silk pouch and handed it to her, saying, "This is a 'reason pouch.' Hang it up; it will protect you from gossip and trouble." Wu Ge grabbed it first, but didn't know how to open it. He cried out in a flurry of words, finally managing to call out "Mother." Xiao Yuan was both surprised and delighted. She quickly took the 'reason pouch' from his little hand and coaxed him to call her "Mother" again, but Wu Ge was extremely cunning and wouldn't call her "Mother" without opening the pouch.

She was at her wits' end with the little boy, so she had to study the bag first. It turned out that colorful silk threads were threaded through the opening of the bag, which could be pulled to open or close it. She opened the bag, and inside were a few grains of rice and two plums. Upon seeing the round plums, Wu Ge drooled and loudly called out "Mother!" Xiao Yuan happily handed him the plums, but Cheng Mutian intercepted him halfway: "Just calling me 'Mother' isn't enough; you have to call me 'Father' first."

He held a plum in one hand and his son in the other, trying to coax him for a long time, but Wu Ge just wouldn't cooperate, calling his father "Mother" instead. Xiao Yuan laughed heartily, leaving him dejected.

After a while, Cheng San Niang and her husband passed away. Gan Shier gave Wu Ge a small gourd carved from cattail root to ward off evil spirits, which amused him so much that he started calling his new uncle "mother," making everyone laugh.

Both families gathered and went to the second courtyard to pay their respects and celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. Master Cheng had been eagerly awaiting his grandson's arrival; he walked to the door and swept Wu-ge into his arms, oblivious to everyone else. His maid, Huaihua, was pasting a wooden board with the words "Red Mouth" written on it onto the wall, then inserting a nail into the center of the character "mouth." Seeing Xiaoyuan arrive, Madam Qian pointed at the board and asked displeasedly, "What is this for?" Xiaoyuan replied, "This is 'Nail Red Mouth,' to avoid gossip and trouble."

Madam Qian remained expressionless, startling the four men who exchanged bewildered glances, unsure whether to stand or sit. Xiao Tongqian, slightly off-center, quickly explained, "In Quanzhou, we don't do this kind of 'nailing red mouth' custom. It's just the phrases 'Official document ascends to heaven' and 'Words enter the earth,' which are reversed and pasted on the wall."

Gan Shier exaggeratedly wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "I thought I had broken some taboo, but it turns out it's this. I'm a native of Quanzhou and I didn't even think of it." Madam Qian smiled at him and said, "You're a man, it's normal that you don't know about household matters."

The implication was that a daughter-in-law, being a woman, should be punished for not knowing such customs. Xiao Yuan felt wronged, but dared not show it on her face. She only said that she had been negligent and asked her mother-in-law to punish her. She then hurriedly called the maids who had come with her to help Huaihua change the red-mouthed plaque.

Cheng Mu frowned slightly, took Wu Ge from Master Cheng's arms, and said, "Please ask Father to go and take a look. My wife doesn't understand the customs of Quanzhou, so we don't want her to make a mistake again."

Only then did Master Cheng notice the undercurrents in the hall. He hurriedly took his grandson over and impatiently scolded Madam Qian for being nosy, saying, "Now that you've entered the Cheng family, you should adapt to local customs. Why are you still so attached to your maternal family's customs?"

The maids had just taken down the "Red Mouth" sign and were about to put up "Official Talisman to Heaven, Gossip to Earth" when they heard Master Cheng say this. They froze on the spot, holding up the sign and not knowing which one to nail, all looking at Xiao Yuan.

Master Cheng meant well, but he didn't realize that his daughter-in-law was caught in the middle between him and Madam Qian, making things even more difficult. Xiao Yuan looked at Madam Qian's increasingly cold expression and couldn't think of any other way but to slip away unnoticed. She secretly gave Cai Lian a wink, and Cai Lian went out, took a few steps, and came back in, saying, "Young Madam, the zongzi and white dumplings in the kitchen are cooked. Please go and take a look."

Xiao Yuan feigned sudden realization: "Thank goodness you reminded me, we haven't even prepared the Dragon Boat Festival fruits yet." Before Madam Qian could say anything, she hurriedly lifted her skirt and slipped out the door.

Cheng Mutian knew she was upset, so he quickly handed Wu Ge to Master Cheng and followed her out. Sure enough, he found her hiding in an empty room, wiping away tears. When Xiao Yuan saw him come in, she quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her face: "I'm fine, you should go in quickly so they don't misunderstand." Cai Lian was guarding the door outside, so Cheng Mutian felt reassured and took her hand, pulling her into his arms and letting out a heavy sigh.

His wife was virtuous, but his mother-in-law made things difficult for him at every turn. He felt sorry for his wife, but as her stepson, he couldn't come up with any clever solutions and felt that his wife was being wronged. Xiao Yuan thought that conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were common in every family, and her husband knew that he favored her, so what did it matter if she suffered some injustice?

Chapter 109 The Chambermaid (Part 1)

Tongqian watched as Madam Qian made things difficult for Xiaoyuan, feeling utterly perplexed. Madam Qian's plan to install a concubine had failed, so if she didn't try to win over her daughter-in-law sooner, wouldn't she be left destitute in her old age? Confused, she took the opportunity while helping Madam Qian change her clothes to voice her thoughts. Madam Qian, already looking regretful, said, "I've seen Erlang always yelling at his wife or giving her the cold shoulder, and I thought they were having marital problems. I never imagined he'd favor his wife so much. I intended to discipline her, but I ended up hurting Erlang. What should we do?" Having grown up with a normal family, Tongqian found Madam Qian's thinking utterly absurd. Didn't she understand the principle that husband and wife are one? Even Master Cheng, a useless man, found pleasure with Concubine Ding and still occasionally showed favoritism towards her.

Seeing that the maids who had accompanied her dowry remained silent, Madam Qian regretted her rash actions earlier. When she came out again, she had a smiling face and sent someone to invite her daughter-in-law back to her room for the festival. The mother-in-law bowed her head in goodwill, and Xiao Yuan, not wanting to persist, first ushered Cheng Mutian inside, then personally led the maids to bring out a large platter of zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), white rice balls, and Dragon Boat Festival treats. Seeing the table full of food, Wu Ge clapped his little hands and called for his mother. Madam Qian, sitting next to Master Cheng, picked out a corner zongzi wrapped with colorful threads and handed it to him. Xiao Yuan quickly said, "Wu Ge is too young to eat that. Father, feed him some preserved plum." Zongzi were made of glutinous rice; how could a baby only a few months old eat them? Master Cheng glared at Madam Qian, then personally took the candied plum skin, tore it into pieces, and fed it to Wu Ge.

The usually meek daughter-in-law began to fight back. Madam Qian was quite uncomfortable and sat silently for a while. She awkwardly asked Cheng San Niang, who was sitting on her other side, what was in the white porcelain dish. Cheng San Niang glanced at Xiao Yuan and shook her head, saying she didn't know. Gan Shier, however, was afraid that his mother-in-law would make things difficult for his wife as she had for her daughter-in-law, so he said, "That's Baicaotou. It's made by shredding cattail, ginger, apricot, plum, and perilla, then salting and drying it."

Madam Qian was well aware of Baicaotou, but since no one was paying attention to her, she just started a conversation. Her embarrassment was unintentionally relieved by Gan Shier, and she treated him as a confidant, pulling him from the fruit on the table to the customs of Quanzhou, wishing she could switch places with Cheng San Niang.

Gan Shier muttered to himself, but what could he do? He was also from Quanzhou, and when his mother-in-law talked about his hometown, he couldn't deny that he didn't know. He was busy dealing with Madam Qian and didn't even know what food was on the table, let alone how to fill his stomach. He finally made it through the banquet and rushed back to the third courtyard, where he collapsed into a chair and exclaimed, "I only had a few cups of pu wine, and my stomach is growling with hunger."

Cheng Mutian laughed at him, saying, "You're just being filial to your mother-in-law; it's only right that you go hungry." Gan Shier moved to a seat next to Cheng San Niang and retorted, "I'm afraid my mother-in-law will find fault with my wife." Cheng Mutian's teeth ached from the sourness, and he loudly ordered the maids to bring soup and see the guest off. Xiao Yuan smiled and patted him on the shoulder as someone brought over several golden-yellow rice dumplings and said to Gan Shier, "These are soaked in a broth made with mugwort ash, and filled with pine nuts and walnuts. Try some."

Cheng San Niang was very kind to the maids, personally peeling the bamboo leaves and placing the rice dumplings into small dishes. The first dish was served to Cheng Mutian, the second to Xiao Yuan, and the third to Gan Shier. She was about to peel a fourth when Gan Shier stopped her, peeling one for herself and feeding it to her. Before Cheng San Niang could even blush, Cheng Mutian suddenly erupted, personally bringing over the soup meant for seeing off guests. He slammed it heavily in front of Gan Shier and unceremoniously chased the couple out.

Xiao Yuan laughed until her stomach hurt, then picked up the baby and fed it to him. Cheng Mutian glared at her without any politeness, lifted the curtain and went into the room, leaving behind the words, "Don't be like Gan Shier, shameless." Xiao Yuan knew his temperament well, so she didn't argue with him. She smiled and called the maids to take the mugwort ash rice dumplings and Gan Shier to their residence.

A few days after the ceremony, the Ren family brought betrothal gifts and asked Xiao Yuan to marry Cai Lian. Since they had signed a contract of indenture, Xiao Yuan couldn't openly return Cai Lian's freedom. So, following the precedent of A Xiu, she secretly returned the contract to her and told everyone that she was a maid of the Cheng family.

Sun asked for leave to go to the temple to offer incense. Xiao Yuan originally planned to take her with her, but Cai Lian was her most prized possession. She wanted to prepare her dowry herself, so she called A Yun and asked her to accompany her.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. Cailian got married as planned. Except for changing into married woman's clothes, everything was as usual. When Madam Qian learned of her marriage, she came in person to deliver congratulatory gifts. She cared for Xiaoyuan and said, "Daughter-in-law, it must be inconvenient for you to be without a maid. How about I give you one?" Xiaoyuan smiled and said, "She married Ren Qingsong, who is also a member of our Cheng family, so she still serves me. I haven't lost anyone." Madam Qian no longer had the leverage to oppose her daughter-in-law. Hearing her say this, although she was unwilling, she had no choice but to give up.

Gan Shier's new house was all set up. He invited his brother and sister-in-law to come over. Cheng Mutian didn't want to see his brother's obsequious manner towards his wife. He declined, saying he had something to do. Gan Shier then put his arm around his shoulder with a grin and invited him to go out for drinks. Xiao Yuan shook her head with a smile. She prepared the congratulatory gifts and went to see Cheng San Niang alone.

Cheng San Niang came out to greet her. Seeing that she still had the same three maids by her side, she smiled and said, "Cai Lian married well. You haven't lost any of your strength, sister-in-law." Xiao Yuan quickly said, "It's also because of her good fortune. As for the remaining two maids, if they had chosen someone from outside, I..."

Cheng San Niang led her by the hand to see the new house. It was a small, three-courtyard house, almost identical to the one Chen Yiniang currently lived in, except for the lack of a back garden. Xiao Yuan followed her from the first courtyard to the last, and finally couldn't help but laugh, "What is it you want to say? Tell me quickly so I can go inside and rest." Cheng San Niang felt embarrassed and quickly invited her into the room for tea. After dismissing the servants, she said, "Sister-in-law, do you remember my eldest maid, Cui Xiu?"

Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "Don't forget I'm the housekeeper. I remember every maid in the house. I sent all the maids from your original room to you." Cheng San Niang twisted her skirt for a while and said softly, "Sister-in-law, when I went to Quanzhou to get married, the Gan family relatives all said that it's more respectable for a lady from a wealthy family to bring a few maids with her to the wedding. Of my maids, I think Cui Zhu is the best looking and the one who is closest to me. I'm thinking of having her shaved and putting her in my room."

Xiao Yuan asked her, "Have you ever seen the two cake beauties standing in front of my cake shop?" Cheng San Niang nodded, "Although I haven't seen them in person, I've heard people talk about them. They're a sight to behold in Lin'an City." Xiao Yuan said, "Those are the maids my birth mother chose for me. Before I was married, she secretly asked someone to pass a sachet to your brother. I found out the details and sent them to stand in front of the shop."

Cheng San Niang laughed and took her hand, saying, "I knew you were a wise woman, sister-in-law. Please give me some advice." It turned out that she wanted to pretend to take a concubine to shut up the gossip of the Gan family relatives in Quanzhou, but she was afraid that if the act became real, it would cause her trouble. So she asked Xiao Yuan if she had a way to have the best of both worlds.

Xiao Yuan patted her chest and said, "I thought you were being foolish and wanted to take in a concubine. Since that's not the case, I'm relieved. But the Gan family relatives are all far away in Quanzhou. Who can you pretend to be?" Cheng San Niang said, "Although we can't see them, we get letters from home every month. They say they're worried I'm too young to serve people and want me to take in two older concubines for my husband." Xiao Yuan patted her hand and laughed, "Silly girl, just make up a lie. Say you've already taken in concubines for Gan Twelve. Anyway, they can't see them."

Cheng San Niang said coyly, "Letters from home are always answered by people. It's already unvirtuous of me not to accept a concubine for him, how could I possibly ask him to lie?" Gan Shier was as bold as the heavens, yet his wife was so timid. Xiao Yuan found it amusing and asked, "Then what do you plan to do?" Cheng San Niang lowered her head and said, "I see that my stepmother wants to put a concubine in your room, but my brother is very unwilling. I want to send Cui Xiu to the master. As long as he says he doesn't want her, the Gan family relatives won't be able to say anything to me."

She said she wanted her sister-in-law to come up with an idea, but she already had a plan in mind. It seems this sister-in-law is just a little timid, but she has a very clear understanding of her husband. Xiao Yuan smiled and got up to look at the lifelike flowers on her table, asking, "Did you make these yourself? You have such skillful hands." Cheng San Niang always trusted her sister-in-law. Seeing that she did not object, she knew that the plan would succeed. She felt relieved and took out the flowers for her to examine closely, saying, "These are peonies and jasmine flowers that I wove by dyeing pith paper. If you like them, I will make new ones for you another day."

Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "Now that I have some, there are only little tigers and rabbits in the room, and I can't find a single flower." Cheng San Niang also laughed and threw away the lifelike flower, saying, "Then I'll dye it again and weave it into a tiger for my nephew to play with."

After chatting for a while, it was noon. Cheng San Niang invited Xiao Yuan to stay for lunch. Xiao Yuan wanted to leave, but seeing that she was alone at home, she sent someone back to inform her that she had to have lunch with her sister-in-law and asked the stewards to come back in the afternoon.

Cheng San Niang placed a pheasant soup in front of her and said, "People in Quanzhou only love seafood. I lived there for a month or so and suffered every day." Xiao Yuan tasted the soup and found it to be perfectly cooked. She laughed and said, "You can't even stand a month or so? What will you do when you go back to Quanzhou after three years?" Cheng San Niang served her a dish and said, "Your husband is already a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial civil service examination). Whether he passes the Jinshi (the highest level of the imperial examination) or not, he can become an official. Just buy him a post that is not near the sea."

Judging from her tone, she had no idea what Gan Shier was planning. Xiao Yuan asked casually, "What has Gan Shier been busy with these days?" Cheng San Niang smiled slightly, "He's been inviting his classmates to study in quiet gardens all day long." Xiao Yuan almost choked on her food. Although she didn't know why Gan Shier was keeping it from Cheng San Niang, she understood that it was better to leave the truth to him himself, so she covered her mouth with her handkerchief to hide it.

Seeing her sister-in-law's smiling face, Cheng San Niang assumed she was also pleased with Gan Shier's diligent studies, and quickly served her a few more bites of food. Xiao Yuan, afraid of accidentally revealing the truth, dared not stay long and left after finishing her meal.

Chapter 101 The Chambermaid (Part 2)

After seeing her sister-in-law off, Third Sister called over Cuixiu to examine her closely. The girl, around seventeen or eighteen years old, appeared even more fair-skinned and rosy-lipped without any makeup, as delicate as a fresh flower. She had made the decision herself, but hesitated at the last minute, fearing that Gan Twelve might really take a liking to Cuizhu. So, she carefully chose a slightly worn vest, a green skirt, and a flower crown adorned with lifelike blossoms, dressing Cuixiu up like a village girl.

Cuizhu was already old enough to understand matters between men and women. Seeing Cheng Sanniang acting this way, she guessed that Cheng Sanniang was afraid that she would seduce Gan Shier, so she hurriedly expressed her feelings. Unexpectedly, Cheng Sanniang said, "How about I give you to the young master as a servant?" Cuizhu was startled and hurriedly said that she didn't have such a big heart and only wanted to be matched with a servant. After saying that, she was afraid that Cheng Sanniang would not believe her, so she knelt down and kowtowed.

Seeing her resolute attitude, Cheng San Niang was pleased, but deliberately said, "Young master is a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial civil service examination). Once he passes the imperial examination, he will be able to get a job, just like my sister-in-law's third brother. You will then become a concubine in an official's household. What an honorable thing that would be!" Cui Xiu took her words seriously and, in her haste, revealed her true feelings. It turned out that she had already secretly pledged her life to a servant in the Cheng family and was just waiting for an opportunity to inform her master and ask for his hand in marriage.

Cheng San Niang carefully observed her expression and found it to be genuine, which made her overjoyed. She told her her plan and added, "You're just going to make a show of it in front of the young master. After it's over, I'll personally talk to my sister-in-law and betroth you to her servant."

It turned out she wasn't really going to be a concubine. Cuizhu breathed a sigh of relief. When she heard that she wanted to help her get married, she kowtowed to thank her and went to the dressing table to apply makeup as instructed.

Cheng San Niang summoned a young maid to change Cui Zhu's raven-coated bun into a woman's hairstyle, and ordered the kitchen to prepare a feast, intending to have a concubine for the young master.

At dinner time, Gan Shier returned home tipsy, muttering to himself that it was wrong of his brother-in-law to forbid him from flattering his wife in front of others. He was already staggering, but he could still drink. Fortunately, Cheng Sanniang didn't really want him to eat; she simply held a small cup of rice wine to his lips and asked, "My lord, how about you take a wife into your household?" Gan Shier, still drunk, pulled her close, exhaling his breath on her cheek, and asked, "My wife isn't angry?" He always asked his wife first, and she guessed exactly what he expected, so he confidently laughed, "Since it's my decision, of course I'm not angry." Hearing this, Gan Shier readily replied, "To make my wife smile, then I'll reluctantly accept."

Third Sister thought he was joking, and actually delivered the brightly dressed Cuixiu to the couple's bedroom. Unexpectedly, Gan Twelve followed her in and slammed the door shut behind him. Third Sister Cheng stood frozen outside, not knowing what to do. The maids all said, "Young Madam, the young master is just joking with you." She temporarily believed the maids' words and went into the small hall with a worried heart, picking up a few pieces of pith and idly weaving a little tiger for Wu Ge.

When Tong Laohu finished, the bedroom door was still tightly closed. Cheng San Niang, clutching the unfinished work, stumbled into the small round room, hugged her, and burst into tears.

Xiao Yuan hurriedly asked her what happened and tried to comfort her for a long time, but she just kept crying. The little maid who came with her replied, "Our young master and the newly taken concubine are occupying the young mistress's bedroom and haven't come out yet."

Had the charade become real? Xiao Yuan was so shocked she couldn't speak. It took her a while to recover. She comforted Cheng San Niang, saying, "Gan Shier isn't that kind of person. How could he bear to see you sad? You should go back and check on him. Maybe he was just teasing you."

Cheng San Niang was so anxious that she rushed out. Upon hearing this, she quickly wiped away her tears and took the little maid's hand back home.

She had been hoping all the way. But her husband was just teasing her; reality disappointed her once again. The door to her and Gan Shier's bedroom remained tightly shut. An unsuspecting maid asked, "Young Madam, will you spend the night in the study?" Cheng San Niang's tears flowed uncontrollably again. She cried as she walked through the alley, down the Cheng family's sidewalk, and collapsed into Xiao Yuan's arms: "Sister-in-law, I've shot myself in the foot!"

Xiao Yuan panicked as well. She patted Cheng San Niang's back, saying, "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have kept quiet after hearing your idea. I should have reminded you." Cheng San Niang's crying grew louder. Cheng Mu Tian came out from the inner room and scolded her, "You came up with the idea yourself. How can you blame your sister-in-law? Besides, it's normal for men to have multiple wives and concubines. You took in a concubine for Gan Shi Er; that's your virtue. What are you crying about? Go home quickly. Do what you need to do. Don't bother your sister-in-law."

Cheng San Niang dared not argue with her brother. She could only tug at Xiao Yuan's sleeve and sob, "Sister-in-law, they've taken my bedroom. Where am I supposed to sleep?" Xiao Yuan had been with her for over two years. Seeing her distress, she felt bad herself. So she ordered a maid to prepare a guest room for her to stay in. She also asked Cheng Mutian to find out more details.

Cheng Mutian said she was meddling, and Xiaoyuan blamed herself, saying, "I trusted Gan Shier too much, so when Third Sister asked me what I thought of the idea, I didn't answer; she must have thought I strongly agreed, which is why she actually pushed Cuizhu towards Gan Shier and..."

Cheng Mutian said, "She and we are now two different families. Even if you openly admit that the young master of the Gan family took a concubine, how can you blame it on the young mistress of the Cheng family? What kind of rule is that?"

Xiao Yuan knew he had a point, but she was still sullen. After helping the wet nurse bathe Wu Ge, she didn't settle the day's accounts and went to bed. Cheng Mutian lay down next to her and said, "For something like this, if I were to inquire, I'd have to go through roundabout ways. Wouldn't it be easier for you to have Third Sister ask her herself?" Xiao Yuan turned over and said, "Your sister is just as shy as you are. If she were a little bolder and tampered with the letters home, she wouldn't be in this embarrassing situation now."

Cheng Mutian was also labeled by his wife as someone who was thin-skinned, which he found very unacceptable. The next morning, he skipped his business and went to find Gan Shier to ask him if he had really taken in someone.

Gan Shier was delighted to see his brother-in-law arrive. Without answering his questions, he led him to a tavern. They found a small shop with a gourd hanging above the door and said, "This is it. Let's have a couple of drinks." Although Cheng Mutian wasn't a big drinker, he often drank for business purposes. He looked at the dirty tables and chairs in the shop and frowned, saying, "Last time you invited me to a foot inn for drinks. Today is even worse. You've only found a place to eat a few bowls. I have some serious questions to ask you. I'm not going to eat a few bowls like a poor man and leave."

Gan Shier scratched his head and said, "Isn't this place nice? There's tofu soup and braised snails next door to go with the wine. I owe you several thousand strings of cash, so I have to be frugal to pay it off as soon as possible." After saying that, he rushed inside, ordered two bowls of wine and two plates of braised snails, picked out the snail meat with a bamboo skewer, and served them to Cheng Mutian. Cheng Mutian waved his hand in disgust, took a sip of wine, and found it hard to swallow, so he put down the wine bowl and asked him again whether the matter of taking a concubine was true or not.