Sécurité

Chapitre 49

Cheng Mutian was afraid she would be angry, so he comforted her, saying, "It's a good thing that you didn't ask anyone to come and inform you. Otherwise, if something happens, you'll get into trouble." Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "I just gave birth myself and I'm still tired. It's a good thing that I don't have to serve her."

Xiao Yuan wasn't a heartless person. Although she said that, she couldn't help but keep looking over there. But by the time the lanterns were lit, there was still no news. A Yun secretly went to inquire and returned indignantly: "Where did Third Sister hear such nonsense? Eldest Sister only accidentally hit Madam with a stick when she was hitting the small copper coins. And it hit her leg. It didn't affect her pregnancy at all."

Xiao Yuan asked curiously, "Then why did she start bleeding early?" A Yun smiled and said, "She did too many bad things, and this is her retribution. Her leg hurt, and she couldn't stand properly, so she fell to the ground and started bleeding early." Xiao Yuan scolded her, "Don't talk nonsense like that. Be careful someone slaps you when you go outside."

Yun stuck out her tongue and continued to deliver the news: "Does the young mistress know why the madam has been in labor for a whole day and the baby still hasn't been born? The midwife said that the baby in her belly is too big and it's easy for it to not come out. She also said that she is weak and disobedient, and she uses all her energy to cry and shout. She can't really exert any effort."

Xiao Yuan, having just given birth herself, knew the pain and said in surprise, "My stepmother is not young, and this is her first child. Childbirth is not easy, and according to what you're saying, she'll probably be in pain for a while longer."

Cheng Mutian knew she was thinking of himself, and comforted her, "Don't be afraid, there's horse manure and horsehide on your stepmother's place, nothing will happen." Xiaoyuan slapped him and said reproachfully, "Are you comforting me or mocking her?"

Cheng Mutian hated Madam Qian to the core for encouraging Master Cheng to take aphrodisiacs. He didn't argue when he heard his wife's scolding, but smiled and pulled her into bed.

Xiao Yuan knew he was about to do something naughty, and hurriedly pushed him away, saying, "Not today." Cheng Mutian sucked on her earlobe, his voice low and husky, "You finished your confinement yesterday, why not?" Xiao Yuan was so weak from his teasing that she couldn't push him away, and she tried to reason with him while enduring the ticklish feeling, "Erlang, our two sons are too close in age. If this continues, I'm afraid my body won't be able to take it."

Chapter 145 The Unexpected Will

Mu Tian naturally felt sorry for his wife, especially since they already had two sons. Hearing what was happening, he was still puzzled: "Why not today, and not tomorrow?"

"You're so impatient," Xiao Yuan chuckled, but unsure how to explain the concepts of "safe period" and "danger period" to the old-fashioned official, she stammered. She had truly underestimated Cheng Mutian and the Song people. In fact, the Song Dynasty medical community also held similar views, though the dates differed. They believed that the six days after menstruation were the optimal time for conception, and that one, three, or five days after menstruation ceased indicated a boy, while two, four, or six days indicated a girl. Cheng Mutian, who managed the family pharmacy and had read a few medical books, used these views to ask Xiao Yuan, "We already have two sons; it would be good for you to rest and recuperate. But the dates you chose are wrong, aren't they?"

Xiao Yuan pouted and punched him. This man, why did he have to be so learned? He just kept reading all sorts of nonsense, making him even harder to understand. After punching him a few times, she suddenly had an inspiration and said with a grin, "What I said earlier wasn't the truth. Actually, I want to have another child. Let's do as you said and have sex six days after my period." She secretly thought to herself, if you can get pregnant during your safe period, that's not called conception, it's called luck. Cheng Mutian, however, wouldn't have it, claiming that her health was the priority and that she couldn't let childbirth ruin her. Xiao Yuan felt sweet inside at these words, but she also secretly groaned. In desperation, she had to resort to her trump card—playing the rogue. Although this trick could subdue Cheng Mutian, she couldn't let him endure it, so she used the method that Aunt Ding used on Master Cheng, employing unorthodox methods to solve the problem for him.

After it was over, Cheng Mutian held her contentedly and fell into a deep sleep. However, she couldn't fall asleep for a while, worrying about Madam Qian in the front yard. She waited until her eyelids were drooping but still didn't receive any news, so she had to close her eyes and go to sleep as well.

As dawn approached, the exhausted Mrs. Qian finally gave birth to a boy. According to insiders, the child was born with a pale face and it took the midwife quite a while for him to cry out, indicating that he would be difficult to raise.

Cheng Mutian put on his robe and sat sullenly for a while, almost as if he were imitating Master Cheng and taking a bath. Yun was still fanning the flames from the side: "Madam is afraid that Master won't give her a share of the family property, so she won't let go of him." Seeing that they were behaving inappropriately, Xiao Yuan scolded, "Whatever it is, keep it to yourself. Are you afraid of being criticized when you come out?" Yun learned her lesson, shrank back and shut her mouth and went out. Cheng Mutian, however, still had a sullen face and didn't say anything. After a long while, he suddenly got up, dismissed the servants, closed the door, and said to her with a sorrowful expression, "The doctor told me the truth a few days ago. I'm afraid Father won't live to see the child's hundredth day. We have some things to prepare for."

Xiao Yuan grasped his hand: "Don't worry, I've already instructed the stewards outside. I just don't know if Father wants to return to Quanzhou or stay in Lin'an." Cheng Mutian understood that she was asking where Master Cheng wanted to be buried, and smiled bitterly: "Father did mention this. He said he wanted to be buried in the ancestral cemetery after his death, but our family's ancestral cemetery is in Tokyo. How can we go there? Quanzhou is just a temporary residence, so let's just stay in Lin'an." With the country broken and nowhere to go, Xiao Yuan was also saddened, but the court was useless, and they could only worry helplessly.

They secretly made arrangements for Master Cheng's funeral. Because Madam Qian was still in confinement after childbirth and had greatly weakened herself, she had no time to care about anything else, so no one came to cause trouble, and everything went smoothly.

The child born to Madam Qian, having likely been restless in the womb for a long time, remained sickly until his one-month celebration. After watching the servants finish washing the baby, Master Cheng waved them away, leaving only Cheng Mutian by the bedside. He asked, "I've named your younger brother Cheng Muyun. What do you think?" Cheng Mutian nodded listlessly, managing a weak "Yes." For some reason, Master Cheng seemed quite talkative, asking again, "What do you think should be his nickname?" Cheng Mutian was taken aback. With his parents present, how could he possibly offer his opinion? Then he suddenly understood: Master Cheng was trying to appease his younger son, fearing that after his passing, the elder brother would bully the younger. He felt a dryness in his throat and said in a hoarse voice, "Father, don't worry."

Master Cheng knew he was filial, and smiled upon receiving the reply: "I think we should name him Zhonglang, what do you think?" Tears welled up in Cheng Mutian's eyes as he knelt before the bed, grasped his hand, and sobbed uncontrollably: "Very good, Father, the name you choose is always good. When my wife gives birth to another child for the Cheng family, please take the trouble to choose a good name for us." Master Cheng slowly shook his head: "I'm afraid we won't live to see that day."

He struggled to sit up and gestured for Cheng Tian to fetch his small brass box. Without opening the lid, he handed it to Cheng Mutian, saying, "My private account books and land deeds are all in here. You can take them and divide them with your brother. My fitness center was given to me by my wife to earn money. When I die, return it to her." He paused to catch his breath and continued, "I have quite a few private accounts. Your stepmother will take half. Plus, the Qian family has some money left for her. That's enough for her to raise your brother. The money in your external accounts, and the estate, will be divided in half with your brother. But don't let your stepmother know. When he grows up, you can personally hand it over to him." He thought of his youngest son, who was born with a weak foundation and might not even grow up to be an adult, and tears streamed down his face. "If he doesn't have that good fortune, then pass it on to my grandsons. Don't let your stepmother benefit from it."

The old man still harbored resentment towards his stepmother, which explained his harsh treatment of her. Cheng Mutian thought this, but didn't plead for her. He simply nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Master Cheng gripped the edge of the bed, as if he had made a great decision. He said, "I see your brother is incapable of running a business. Therefore, I will leave all the ships and shops in the family to you."

Cheng Mutian looked up in shock: "Father. You? You're not going to give him a share?" Old Master Cheng finally revealed the decision that had been troubling him for days. Exhausted, he closed his eyes and weakly said, "That's a business you built from scratch. Divide it as you like."

Cheng Mutian covered him with a blanket and went out. He was still in a daze. Suddenly, he heard someone calling him. He turned his head and saw Madam Qian standing on the veranda holding a child. She was calling him over to see his younger brother. He sneered inwardly. Why wasn't she afraid that he was going to harm someone today? She suddenly became warm and friendly. He was afraid she had ulterior motives.

His prediction was spot on. As soon as Madam Qian opened her mouth, she asked about Master Cheng's will: "Second son, did your father leave any money for our Zhonglang to live on?" Cheng Mutian looked at her with disgust and said without any politeness: "Stepmother, you should raise him safely first, then it's not too late to ask this."

Madam Qian never expected that her usually respectful and polite son could be so formidable. She involuntarily took a few steps back and retorted, "If it weren't for my eldest sister's tantrum and the slaps she gave me, I wouldn't have been born prematurely, causing your brother to be born with congenital deficiencies." Cheng Mutian looked at Xiao Yuan and the children who were coming this way and laughed, "You're only a few days early? My wife's birthday was almost half a month early, and she was perfectly fine."

As they spoke, Xiao Yuan approached. Seeing that he didn't even bother to show any mercy, she was surprised and quickly smiled at Madam Qian, saying, "Mother, it's only when a son is born that the pregnancy starts early; those who are born late are all daughters." Upon hearing this, Madam Qian's expression softened slightly. She then said to Cheng Mutian, "You are the legitimate son, and our Zhonglang is also the legitimate son. The eldest branch of the family in Quanzhou has already arrived in Lin'an. With the clan upholding justice, you shouldn't even think about monopolizing the family property."

She must have found out bits and pieces of the will beforehand, but she didn't know that Master Cheng had money to leave to his youngest son. He just kept it from her, which is why she became so sharp. But the eldest son of the Quanzhou family... Cheng Mutian smiled, didn't even reply, picked up Brother Chen, took Brother Wu's hand, and turned to leave.

Xiao Yuan exchanged a few perfunctory words with Qian Fu, hurriedly bowed and took her leave, then went to catch up with Cheng Mutian. As she stepped through the gate of the third courtyard, Cheng Mutian had already slowed his pace to wait for her, saying, "Don't worry, I invited the eldest son from Quanzhou." Xiao Yuan was taken aback: "Who's worried about that? I'm just wondering, why don't you even give your stepmother any face? Don't you care about the reputation of a filial son?" Cheng Mutian's face was gloomy: "She harmed my father, and you expect me to be polite to her? If my father doesn't make it this time, don't blame me for being too heartless."

The other side of the door was full of Madam Qian's people. Xiao Yuan pushed him into the room and said, "If this gets back to your stepmother, who knows what trouble she'll cause." Cheng Mutian punched the wall: "Even Father hates her now, I'm not afraid of her causing trouble."

Madam Qian had given birth to a son, so why did Master Cheng still hate her? Xiao Yuan was very puzzled and hurriedly asked him for details. Cheng Mutian said, "Father blames her for being useless, turning a perfectly good son into someone with congenital deficiencies." He paused and told her about Master Cheng's unexpected will. Xiao Yuan was even more surprised than him and asked repeatedly, "I got a share too? The fitness center went into my dowry? My stepmother didn't get any benefits? The ship and shops were all given to us?"

Cheng Mutian buried his face in her shoulder and wept bitterly: "It turns out I was the villain, I even specially invited the eldest son's family to Quanzhou, but Father only had our best interests at heart."

Xiao Yuan thought to herself, "The reason Father is so biased is probably because he feels his younger son, who is inherently weak, is incapable of supporting the family business, or perhaps he wants the eldest son's family to treat his weaker brother well for the sake of the family property." Although Master Cheng wasn't truly only thinking of his eldest son, the hearts of parents are always the same, and her eyes involuntarily welled up with tears. She asked softly, "Second Brother, do you plan to give your brother the shares in the shipyard and shops?"

Cheng Mutian wiped his face and said, "Let's see what he can do when he grows up. If he really has some ability, why not run the business together? If he's just a mediocre person, I won't give him a share, so he won't waste my hard work."

Xiao Yuan nodded in agreement, then couldn't help but joke with him: "If our son is mediocre, will you leave him shares?" Cheng Mutian glared at her: "Nonsense, my son is naturally very intelligent, how could he be mediocre?"

After discussing their father-in-law's will, they went to his bedside to fulfill their filial duties. However, the doctor's prediction came true: seven days before his youngest son's hundredth day celebration, Master Cheng's oil lamp ran out, and he passed away.

Cheng Mutian had previously blamed himself, saying that inviting the eldest son of Quanzhou to Lin'an was a petty act. Unexpectedly, as soon as the funeral was over, Madam Qian made a scene in the mourning hall and couldn't wait to snatch the "petty" label away.

Chapter 146 Madam Qian's Complaint

Madam Qian, dressed in plain clothes, sat upright in the hall holding her son and questioned, "They are both sons, so why did Zhonglang only receive the master's private savings?"

Once Zhonglang grows up, he will be entitled to half of the money from the external accounts. However, Master Cheng instructed that this matter should not be told to Madam Qian. Therefore, Cheng Mutian only snorted coldly and did not respond.

Madam Qian was now completely helpless against him, and could only look to the eldest son's family from Quanzhou. Cheng Dongjing, who was sent by the eldest son's family, was older than her but younger in seniority. Seeing that she was looking at him, he couldn't not answer, so he could only stammer, "You should raise Zhonglang first, and there will be benefits for him."

Cheng Mutian said this, and so did he. Madam Qian got angry and said, "Everyone says that once a child passes the hundred-day mark, he will naturally grow up. Our Zhonglang turned one hundred days old last month, and you are still cursing him."

Cheng Dongjing had also been instructed by Master Cheng not to tell her the truth, so he could only bring up his father, the current head of the Cheng clan, and said, "Before coming to Lin'an, my father repeatedly told me that the Cheng family's shipping business must be managed by someone knowledgeable. How old is your son? Can he manage it?"

Madam Qian slammed her hand on the chair a few times and said angrily, "I, as his mother, will take care of him."

When Sister Cheng returned from delivering the offerings for the religious ceremony, she heard this and sneered, "You've squandered your dowry, and now you want to ruin the Cheng family business?"

This was the first time Cheng Dongjing had heard this, so he hurriedly asked her for details, saying that he would report the matter to the clan chief.

Seeing that the eldest son's family was not upholding justice, Madam Qian devised a plan. She ordered Xiao Tongqian to bring the inner curtains to Xiao Yuan and said, "I am still here as your stepmother, so we cannot divide the family property. Zhonglang and I did not receive any money, so this family property is still yours to manage."

Master Cheng left her some savings, telling her to use it to raise her son. She accepted the money, but it was outrageous for her to push the responsibility of raising him onto her eldest son's family. Cheng Dongjing couldn't stand it and offered advice to Xiaoyuan and her husband: "Your stepmother is right. Before she was alive, the family property was divided. But since you're to raise your younger brother, then use half of your father's savings for his upbringing."

Cheng Tian nodded and said, "This is also Father's wish. I have nothing to say." Xiao Yuan also nodded, "I'll listen to my husband. He's my own brother, so we have to put in extra effort." Sister Cheng was a woman of action. She went straight up to ask Madam Qian where Master Cheng's private savings were.

Seeing them acting in concert, the lady pretended not to exist and angrily hugged her child, heading straight to her parents' home. Cheng Mutian and the others were alright, but Cheng Dongjing was so anxious he stamped his feet: "You should at least have some dignity as members of the Cheng family in Lin'an! You're in mourning and observing filial piety, and you're running off to your relatives' homes. What kind of behavior is this?"

Sister Cheng laughed, "There's no need to worry about that. My family is in mourning too. No one's minding anyone else's business." Cheng Dongjing still shook his head, saying that Master Cheng didn't recognize anyone. He hadn't found a good wife and instructed Cheng Mutian and his wife, "When Zhonglang grows up, you, as the elder brother and sister-in-law, must take the time to find him a good wife. If your stepmother insists on her own way, report it to the clan. My father will make the decision for you." Cheng Mutian wished he didn't have a younger brother. He had no intention of getting involved in this matter and just nodded haphazardly.

Meanwhile, Madam Qian returned to her parents' home. She wept uncontrollably, and Madam Xin couldn't console her. Finally, she threatened, "If you want to abandon your son to Cheng Erlang to raise, then go ahead and cry yourself to death with your father-in-law." Madam Qian barely managed to stop her tears, choking back sobs, "My husband said before he died that he only left me half of his savings. A significant portion of that was my dowry. I've suffered a huge loss." Madam Xin patted her back comfortingly, "You still have your son. There's plenty of time."

Madam Qian's eyes widened with tears. She said, "My husband is dead. All the family property is in Cheng Erlang's hands. And Zhonglang only has this small son. What hope do I have left?" Madam Xin pondered for a moment. She said, "I'll pay for your lawsuit. How about that?"

Now, Madam Qian was willing to use any means necessary to get the family property, and immediately nodded repeatedly. Madam Xin then called in a concubine and told her to go and fetch a lawyer to write the complaint. Madam Qian watched the concubine sway as she left and asked in confusion, "Father passed away before the New Year, why hasn't Mother beaten them yet?" Madam Xin laughed and said, "Without men, there's no point in fighting. What's the harm in keeping them? They can keep each other company. Otherwise, it's quite lonely and scary for me to live alone in such a big house." After saying that, she called in another concubine and asked her to tell a joke.

Everyone has their own thoughts. Madam Xin is old and has no choice but to remain faithful, but the concubines are all in their prime and have long harbored other desires. They are only troubled because the First Madam refuses to release them. The concubine who told jokes, named Yin Da Zui, had long hated Madam Xin for being unable to escape. Seeing Madam Xin's daughters and grandchildren gathered together made her feel even more alone and helpless, so she decided to stab her in the back—

"In Yuanyantian, there was a peasant woman named Jiang Si Niang. She had been married for several years but hadn't conceived. So, she arranged for her husband to take many concubines, hoping for a son so she could raise him herself. Finally, when one of the concubines gave birth, it was a girl. Jiang Si Niang was furious and threw the baby into a basin of water. When she went to check on the baby some time later, she found it still alive. So, she cruelly pinched off the baby's ears. The newborn baby couldn't bear the knife-like pain and died within half an hour. The following year, she gave birth to a daughter herself, but both her ears were missing, just like the marks left by the pinched child. Everyone in the neighborhood said it was retribution, and that drowning the baby again would bring disaster. They pleaded with Jiang Si Niang to keep the baby, and that's how she kept the second daughter..." Before Yin Da Zui could finish his story, Madam Xin flew into a rage, grabbed a teacup full of boiling water, and splashed it all over Jiang Si Niang's face, scalding her so much that she screamed.

Madam Qian felt a chill run down her spine and involuntarily touched her ear. After confirming that nothing was missing, she asked Madam Xin, "Mother, although this story isn't funny, it's not about you. Why are you angry?"

Madam Xin forced a smile and made up an excuse to fob her off: "She's just mocking me for not having a son." Madam Qian believed her and comforted her, "Mother, don't get angry. It's not worth hurting your health. Why don't you call a slave trader to sell her?" Madam Xin looked at Yin Dazui and sneered, "If I sell her, I'll be fulfilling her wish and not letting her have her way." After saying that, she called in two concubines who had a grudge against Yin Dazui and ordered them, "Drag her away and slap her. If you slap her well, I'll give you a raise." The two concubines answered crisply and happily dragged Yin Dazui to the side room.

Hearing the screams coming from the other side, Madam Xin finally smiled and asked Madam Qian, "What should be done with Concubine Ding, who gave birth to Fourth Sister?"

Madam Qian's face darkened. "What can I do with her?" she said. "My husband said on his deathbed that she should stay at home with me." Madam Xin snorted. "Stay? He's just afraid you won't be able to keep her. If it's up to me, I'll sell her and her daughter. Otherwise, who will pay for my daughter's dowry in a few years?"

Madam Qian said nonchalantly, "I'm not worried about that. Whoever is in charge pays. I'll just go and spend Cheng Erlang and his wife's money." Madam Xin was delighted to hear this and said, "You've sent out the accounts?"

Madam Qian was so distraught that she suddenly remembered that the outer tent was indeed kept by Cheng Mutian, but the inner tent had not been sent out and was still inside her. She paced anxiously, muttering repeatedly, "What should I do?"

Seeing her daughter's anxiety, Madam Xin was also anxious. Who could have predicted that the once coveted debt would now become a hot potato? She dared not bear to see it again and could only advise Madam Qian to file a lawsuit first and get the family property back before making any further decisions.

She urged people to check the second gate several times, and finally the petition was brought back. She and Madam Qian looked at it together and found no misspellings or awkward phrasing. She then called the steward and asked him to deliver the petition to the government office in the name of the five-month-old Zhonglang.

Madam Qian watched as the steward wrote the three characters "Cheng Muyun" next to the petition, and asked Madam Xin in confusion, "Why not file the lawsuit in my name? Would the government accept a petition from a child?"

Seeing that her daughter was completely ignorant of worldly affairs, Madam Xin remained silent for a long time before patiently instructing her, "If you write your name on it, then you'll be the one going to court. All the women in the family will be going to court; will they even see anyone else?" Madam Qian deeply appreciated her mother's wisdom. She quickly folded the petition and handed it to the steward, telling him to ride a horse and hurry to the yamen. Madam Xin also told him to take plenty of money to bribe the officials, the clerk, and the lawyer.

They were plotting something here, but Cheng Mutian was completely unaware of it until the government officials came and summoned them to court in seven days. Only then did he realize that Madam Qian had sued them.

Ayun ran ahead and secretly peeked at the official. She said anxiously, "Little Copper Coin is ungrateful. Such big news, and you didn't even come to inform us." Xiaoyuan knew that Little Copper Coin didn't know the true contents of Master Cheng's will either. She was afraid that he thought, like Madam Qian, that their eldest son's family was holding onto the money. So she scolded Ayun, "Little Copper Coin was protecting his master. His loyalty is commendable. Don't talk nonsense."

Upon receiving the news, Sister Cheng rushed over and stood at the door, saying, "I still need to call Third Sister, but she is pregnant and suffering from severe morning sickness and cannot leave the house."

Xiao Yuan smiled and invited her to sit down, saying, "It's none of your business, why bother coming all this way?" Sister Cheng made no attempt to hide her thoughts, saying, "How can it not be my business? Our family business depends entirely on Erlang. Zhonglang is only five months old, what can he manage? Giving him half of the ship and shop, letting our stepmother squander the money, will only harm our family too." She was also unaware of the details of Master Cheng's will, so she hesitated before advising Xiao Yuan, "Among the money you received from Father's private savings, there was your stepmother's dowry. Since you've received her money, why not share some of the money from the external accounts with them as well?"

She couldn't keep her mouth shut, so Xiao Yuan didn't want to tell her the truth. She just laughed at her and said, "When did you become so kind?" Sister Cheng touched her face and said embarrassedly, "I didn't mean to be kind. I just felt that I was taking her money but not giving her a share of the family property. It felt like I was taking advantage of her."

This aspect of her personality is quite different from Master Cheng's. Xiao Yuan smiled silently, turned her head and looked at the courtyard gate, where Cheng Mutian and Cheng Dongjing were both walking towards her with anger in their eyes.

Sister Cheng, being impatient, got up first to go and ask for details. Cheng Mutian, looking displeased, replied, "We still have to go to court. She has completely disgraced the Cheng family." Sister Cheng asked anxiously, "Are you going to lose the case?" Cheng Dongjing said, "She can't win. I've already heard what your father left behind. With the clan as witnesses, what are we afraid of?"

Xiao Yuan ordered someone to bring over drinks to cool them down and relieve their irritability. She personally poured a bowl for each of them and said with a smile, "Since you can't lose the case, what's wrong with you going to court?" Cheng Mutian didn't say anything because his elder sister was there. He waited until she took her leave before saying, "We haven't mistreated Zhonglang, but we're going to take the blame. We're naturally unwilling to do so."

Xiao Yuan realized that Master Cheng's openly stated will was too biased. If they made a scene in court, those gossipy people might say that the evil elder brother colluded with the clan to forge their father's will to bully the weaker brother, ruining Cheng Mutian's most cherished reputation.

After thinking for a while, she offered Cheng Mutian a suggestion: "Could we give the official some money and have him reject the stepmother's lawsuit?" Cheng Mutian smiled bitterly and said, "How could we not bribe him? That official is really strange. He claims to be righteous and says that he has already received a lot of money from the Qian family, so he can't accept money from others and then turn around and accuse them."

Xiao Yuan was both amused and exasperated. What a "righteous" official he was! According to him, he was determined to stand up for Madam Qian.

The three sat in silence for a long time, but still couldn't think of a good way to avoid the lawsuit. Helpless, Cheng Mutian had no choice but to send someone to remind Madam Qian that there were witnesses to Master Cheng's will and that she couldn't win the lawsuit. Unexpectedly, Madam Qian was targeting his weakness of saving face and said, "You have to fight even if you can't win. It's good if your reputation is ruined."

Cheng Mutian was so angry with her that he couldn't even eat. To make matters worse, it rained for days on end, and his old leg injury flared up. He was in pain and worried, and couldn't sleep all night. Xiao Yuan felt sorry for him and cried while holding him.

Cheng Dongjing has been racking his brains over this matter these past few days. Although the goods that the Cheng family imports from abroad are unloaded at Quanzhou Port, most of them are sold in Lin'an. And the business in Lin'an depends entirely on Cheng Mutian. If he ruins his reputation, it is hard to guarantee that those discerning officials and merchants will no longer do business with him, thus affecting the entire Cheng family's profits.

Although Xiaoyuan had been married into the Cheng family for many years, she had little contact with the eldest son of the Quanzhou family. Seeing that he was worried about his and his wife's affairs all day long, she felt very sorry for him. So, she ordered someone to prepare a table of exquisite dishes and invited him to drink. She also invited Gan Shier to accompany him.

Gan Shier, a bold and jovial man, patted Cheng Dongjing, who was decades older than him, on the shoulder and said, "When you return to Quanzhou, please pass on a message to my father-in-law, congratulating him on becoming a grandfather." Cheng Dongjing quickly congratulated him and then laughed, "Seeing how happy you are, I'll just take you back with me, okay?"

They had no time for conversation, but Xiao Yuan came up with a clever idea to scare Madam Qian into withdrawing her lawsuit.

Chapter 147 Dividing the Family

"As long as we send someone from Quanzhou to Lin'an, I guarantee my stepmother won't dare to file another lawsuit," Xiao Yuan said with a smile as she poured wine. Cheng Mutian thought for a moment, then smiled, took a big gulp, and praised, "Good wine."

Cheng Dongjing and Gan Shier were baffled, but it was true, just as Xiao Yuan had said. Cheng Mutian had made up a few words to scare Madam Qian, and the lawsuit was dropped. When they sent someone to the government office to inquire, they found out that the Qian family steward had secretly taken the petition back.

With the matter resolved satisfactorily, Cheng Mutian and his wife held another banquet. Cheng Dongjing and Gan Shier were both curious and asked why. Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "This matter didn't involve getting the stepmother under control, but rather Madam Xin. After Old Master Qian passed away, she was left all alone in her family, and her biggest fear was that the clan would want to adopt a son for her." Cheng Mutian's lingering unease from the past few days vanished, his legs no longer ached, and his appetite was good. He picked up a piece of mutton with his chopsticks and chewed it a few times, saying, "I told my stepmother that if she wants to sue me, I will bring Brother Qian from Quanzhou again and send him to the Qian family."

Gan Shier had also heard about the Qian family's fuss about adopting someone, so he explained it to Cheng Dongjing, who was somewhat confused. Cheng Dongjing clapped his hands and praised, "Good plan! The Qian family doesn't even have a man. The reason why no one from the clan has bothered them is entirely because they have the Cheng family as relatives. If we don't help them, their wealth will probably be completely lost."

Having gotten rid of their worries, they all got thoroughly drunk. The next day, Cheng Dongjing, accompanied by Cheng Mutian, inspected the Cheng family's shipping business before taking his leave to return to Quanzhou to report to the clan head. Gan Shier, having served as a guest twice, shamelessly pleaded with Xiao Yuan, "My wife is having severe morning sickness. Can I ask for two days off to stay home and keep her company?" Xiao Yuan was about to nod when Cheng Mutian said, "Which woman doesn't have morning sickness during pregnancy? You're just being nosy." Gan Shier didn't give him any face and retorted, "Brother, when my wife was pregnant with Chen Ge, you stayed home with her for a whole month. Why can't I stay for two days?" Cheng Mutian, red-faced from his rebuttal, protected his husband and threatened Gan Shier, "Quickly apologize to your brother, or I won't let you go." Gan Shier was capable of anything for his wife, immediately bowing and agreeing, almost kneeling down to beg for mercy, which made Cheng Mutian laugh and scold him for being spineless.

Gan Shier got a day off and skipped home to be with his wife. Cheng Mutian was envious, so he also took a few days off to stay home with Xiaoyuan and his sons. One day, he discussed with Xiaoyuan that they would invite a tutor to their home after the New Year to give Wu Ge his early education. Xiaoyuan didn't want her son to be restricted too early and was arguing with him when suddenly Ayun came to report that someone from the Qian family had arrived, saying that Madam Qian wanted to separate the family property from them.

Xiao Yuan was overjoyed: "We were criticized for proposing to separate the family, but since she wants to separate herself, we have nothing to fear." A Yun put her hands together and prayed: "Amitabha, now that the family is separated, no one will be able to put concubines into the young master's room anymore. This is a cause for celebration."

Cheng Mutian slammed his hand on the table and stood up, saying urgently, "No, we can't be so lucky. I need to go out and make some arrangements." He then said to Xiaoyuan, "Have someone move all the furniture from the second courtyard to our house in the east of the city, and also send the servants hired by my stepmother there as soon as possible." He then instructed Ayun, who was still awkwardly chanting Buddhist prayers, "You take some men and guard the gate. If any of the mistress's people come to take things to the Qian family or her own dowry house, throw them all out."

Ah Yun loved this kind of job the most, and excitedly said, "Young Master, is Madam going to bring people to rob our family? We have Sun Dalang who knows martial arts, we're not afraid of them." Cheng Mutian glanced at this troublemaking girl, said "No," called Cheng Fu, and hurriedly went out.

Ayun asked curiously, "Since it's a division of the family property, why not send Madam back to her dowry house? Does the young master intend to give her a house for free?" Xiaoyuan thought carefully about Madam Qian's character and roughly understood the reason. She instructed her, "You probably can't guard the courtyard gate by yourself. Tell Axiu to guard it with you. Don't forget to bring the clothes-beating sticks." Ayun chuckled and indeed found two clothes-beating sticks. She ran off to find Azhu.

Cailian walked over and asked, "Young Madam, should I send someone to move?" Xiaoyuan shook her head and said, "Don't let our people move. Otherwise, if something is missing, Madam will cause trouble. Have Madam hire people to move it, but we must use our own guards to escort it. Don't let them sneak off to Madam's dowry house or the Qian family's. Also, when you pull the cart through the street, you might as well make a show of it. If anyone asks, just say that Madam Cheng voluntarily decided to remain chaste and wants to move to another courtyard for some peace and quiet."

Cailian immediately understood. "I'll take Aunt Ding and Fourth Sister over too." Xiaoyuan nodded. After watching her assign the tasks, they went to the front yard together for a look. Only then did they return to their room to prepare dinner.

Wu Ge went to the kitchen to find his mother. He saw her using a silver handrail to hook her sleeves, chopping meat while humming a strange little tune. He didn't understand why his mother was so happy. He hugged her leg and said, "Mother, you like it. Wu Ge doesn't." Xiao Yuan asked curiously, "Son, do you like living with Grandma?" Wu Ge shook his head, stretched out his arm to point to the minced meat on the cutting board, and said aggrievedly, "Mother only knows how to make this. It's greasy."

Xiao Yuan's cooking skills were lacking. She had endured countless taunts from Cheng Mutian, yet she had never felt ashamed. Today, however, she blushed with embarrassment because of her son's complaints. She hurriedly asked Wu Ge what he wanted to eat and summoned the cook to prepare the meal on the spot. The downside was that it took time. Cai Lian watched as the second courtyard was completed. Dinner was still not served. Cheng Mutian returned home after finishing his preparations. He had only prepared one dish. He was extremely hungry, and he and Wu Ge devoured cakes and cookies. By the time Xiao Yuan proudly brought out her new creation, the father and son were already full and couldn't eat another bite.

Xiao Yuan was extremely frustrated and forced them to try a bite of every dish. Wu Ge patted his round belly, feeling that his mother was really scary. Before the nanny could pick him up, he climbed off the stool and ran back to his room in a flash. Cheng Mutian was not as bold as his son. He obediently tasted all the dishes and praised them as delicious, regardless of whether they were salted or not.

Xiao Yuan beamed and put a few more bites on his plate, asking, "Where did you go?" Cheng Mutian couldn't eat anymore and put down his chopsticks, saying, "You should ask what my stepmother has been doing. When I sent someone to find the street ruffians, I learned that she had promised money to the ruffian leader, Wan San'er, to spread rumors that she was kicked out by her stepson's family." Xiao Yuan slammed down her chopsticks and said angrily, "That's really going too far. Luckily, I guessed a little bit, so I had them do some pretense and claim that my stepmother voluntarily remained chaste and moved to another courtyard to eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures."