Sécurité

Chapitre 61

Upon reaching the shore of West Lake, they abandoned their car and walked slowly along a row of weeping willows. Various boats of different sizes crisscrossed the lake, coming and going like a woven tapestry; many vendors sang loudly, hawking local specialties from Lin'an; and some acrobats set up their performances in the most crowded spots.

Wu Ge excitedly grabbed Chen Ge's hand, followed by his nominal pageboy Xi Ge and his younger uncle Zhong Lang. They watched the games here and there, flocking to wherever there were crowds. Cheng Mutian, afraid he'd get lost, grabbed him and led him to an old man carrying a sachet, coaxing him, "I'll buy each of you a sachet to play with, but don't run around, okay?" The children cried out, "That's for girls!" Cheng Mutian, preoccupied with his daughter these past few months, had forgotten that boys' toys were different from girls'. He bought one for Wu Ge and one for Zhong Lang, and then found a vendor selling sugar fish and bought two for Chen Ge and Xi Ge. Xiao Yuan glanced at Cheng Si Niang, noticing her calm expression but undisguised envy in her eyes, and quickly called over the sachet carrier to buy her a sachet to tie around her waist.

The children, having benefited from the experience, finally walked properly, allowing the family to reach the dock as quickly as possible. The scenery here was different from what they had just seen; there were hundreds and thousands of boats of all shapes and sizes on the water. Small boats had large oars fixed to their sterns, which the boatmen rowed with their feet; fast boats were propelled by wheels or pedals; and there were also large, square-bottomed boats, some as long as five or six zhang (approximately 10 meters), which could carry more than twenty people.

Wu Ge couldn't wait to get on the boat. Pointing to a row of boats labeled "Luo," "Liu," "He," and "Huang" moored by the dock, he asked, "Father, is Uncle Jin's boat over there?"

The Jin family's servants had already come forward to greet them, but Cheng Mutian, wanting to test his son, said, "Your Uncle Jin's boat is named 'Hundred Flowers,' try to find it." Wu Ge pointed to another row of boats and began to recite: "Seven Treasures, Ten Brocades, Golden Lion..."

While he was still searching, Xiao Yuan asked Cheng Mutian curiously, "Since Young Master Jin Jiu lost his fortune at the Beauty Bureau, hasn't he become poor? How come he still has such a big boat?" Seeing the servant nearby, Cheng Mutian lowered his voice and chuckled, "He's willing to sell his shops, but he's reluctant to part with this boat. Do you know why this boat is named 'Hundred Flowers'? It's because at its peak, this boat carried over a hundred courtesans." Xiao Yuan's brows furrowed slightly involuntarily. Could there be courtesans on this boat today? She didn't want them to corrupt the children.

Before long, Wu Ge recognized the words "Baihua" and proudly showed them off. Cheng Mutian was very pleased that his years of studying had not been in vain, so he personally took Wu Ge's hand and led him onto the ship.

The "Hundred Flowers" boat was large and exquisite, with carved railings and painted beams. The upper part of the boat was decorated with colorful paintings. Xiao Yuan had previously thought of going to the bow of the boat to see the scenery, but it turned out that there was no need for that at all. The cabin had windows on both sides and was furnished with comfortable tables, chairs and benches. They could sit in the cabin and take in the beautiful scenery of the lake without having to move an inch.

As soon as Cheng Mutian boarded the boat, he was led off somewhere by Jin Jiu Shao. Xiao Yuan sat for a while, drank some tea, and then Sister Cheng came out to greet him apologetically, saying, "Brother Xin was crying and fussing, and I had to coax him to calm him down. I had no choice." Xiao Yuan called the children up to greet him and said with a smile, "It's nothing. My Ruiniang can't be without her mother either." She then asked, "Didn't Third Sister's family come?"

Sister Cheng took out a few toys and distributed them to the children to play with, complaining, "She's got her hands on those artificial flowers and won't go anywhere now." Xiao Yuan understood Sister Cheng and explained, "She's different from us. She only gets paid for working a day, otherwise she'll be short of basic necessities like firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea." Sister Cheng was still dissatisfied, saying, "Their family is all dependent on Sister Cheng now. How can this be? Look how tired she is. Last time she finally got pregnant with a boy, but she miscarried at three months." Xiao Yuan was shocked: "I live deep in the mountains, and I was delayed for several months because of childbirth. I've never heard of such a thing. I don't think Gan Shier is the kind of person who only relies on his wife for a living. Hasn't he thought of a way to make a living?"

Sister Cheng pursed her lips and said, "What's the use of him thinking? He's willing but unable. For the past twenty-odd years, besides getting a half-baked education, he's been doing handicrafts. Neither of those can earn him money." Xiao Yuan sat there, sighing with her. Cheng Mutian pushed open the cabin door and came in, saying, "Third Sister's biomimetic flower workshop isn't without employees, so why is she working so hard?" Hearing this, Xiao Yuan also became puzzled and asked Sister Cheng if she knew anything. Sister Cheng had also managed the family business for a few years. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Perhaps it's because she didn't hire a manager?" Xiao Yuan clapped her hands, suddenly realizing, "No wonder! She's both the owner and the manager. She probably has to personally make flowers from time to time. It's no wonder she's exhausted."

Cheng Mutian shook his head and sighed, "It's a good thing she was born into the Cheng family; she has absolutely no talent for business." Xiao Yuan secretly glared at him. When Master Cheng was alive, he never cared about this daughter. It was a miracle she hadn't starved to death; how could she possibly understand the principles of business? Now that she understood the crux of the problem, Xiao Yuan asked Sister Cheng to visit Third Sister Cheng's house when she had some free time to talk to her about hiring a manager. Sister Cheng herself was a shareholder in the workshop, so she readily agreed without hesitation.

Xiao Yuan looked out the window and saw the children running around outside several times, but she didn't see the myna bird. She asked Sister Cheng about it. Sister Cheng seemed reluctant to talk about it and vaguely said that he had been scalded by boiling water and was recuperating at home. She then changed the subject and asked Cheng Mutian, "Second Brother, why didn't you go out to play with Young Master Jin?"

It would have been better if the topic hadn't been brought up, as it only angered Cheng Mutian. Suppressing his rage, he said, "Since he invited courtesans onto the boat, he shouldn't have let us bring the children. What am I supposed to say if my sons ask?" Xiao Yuan peeked out the window and saw several courtesans in colorful clothes, adorned with jewels, standing at the bow and stern of the boat. Passing boats slowed their oars and looked in their direction. She quickly called the children into the cabin, coaxing, "Our little sister sees you playing outside and is very envious. Why don't you play inside and let her see too?"

The two sons loved to hear this and immediately surrounded their wet nurse. One wanted to hug Ruiniang, and the other wanted to kiss her. Zhonglang muttered something reluctantly and was hit on the head by Wu Ge, which made him quiet down. Cheng Si Niang kindly rubbed his forehead, but he slapped her hand with a loud slap.

Sister Cheng couldn't understand and asked suspiciously, "Why is Zhonglang acting so strangely?" Xiao Yuan couldn't explain Zhonglang's domineering and submissive mentality, only saying, "They're boys, they're used to playing and fighting together, they're very close. Fourth Sister doesn't usually play with them, so naturally they're a bit distant." Seeing that Sister Cheng was unmoved by Cheng Mutian's words, she couldn't help but point to the colorful flowers and willows outside and ask her, "Sister, can you stand by and watch? Why do you let Young Master Jin act recklessly? You have your own son now, surely you're not afraid of him?"

Sister Cheng laughed and said, "I wasn't afraid of him even when I didn't have my own son. I'm only letting him have this one time because he's done everything I wanted these past two years." It turns out that since the Beauty Trap, Jin Jiu Shao has never taken a concubine. Even when Sister Cheng was pregnant and giving birth, he didn't bring anyone back. Sister Cheng was grateful, so she allowed him to invite a courtesan onto the boat today.

Women work hard to continue the family line, shouldn't men be content and settle down? What is clearly something that should be done is turned into a favor, what kind of world is this? Xiaoyuan had long known about this kind of world, but she still felt uncomfortable, so she turned her head to look at the scenery on the lake and stopped talking.

On the shimmering West Lake, countless small boats carry merchants and entertainers, as well as those performing various arts such as clapper talk, incense burning, playing musical instruments, singing and dancing, and throwing arrows and darts. They come running without being called when a large ship approaches. Besides these, numerous small boats carry all sorts of goods to and fro between the north and south of the lake: vegetables, fruits, chickens, snails, seasonal flowers, fine wine, soups, tea, and more—truly everything imaginable. Not far from the shore, small fishing boats are casting their lines, while others on the lake cast nets and release turtles, soft-shelled turtles, snails, and clams.

Sister Cheng was also looking out the window when she saw a small boat selling soup coming by. She said, "I'll go to the kitchen to check the food and buy some sweet soup that the children like."

After Cheng Mutian waited for his eldest sister to go to the back cabin, he laughed at Xiaoyuan's reaction, saying that she had seen too many devoted men and that encountering such a situation was perfectly normal, so she was actually not used to it. How many? Xiaoyuan counted on her fingers. Apart from Cheng Mutian, among her relatives, only Gan Shier did not have a concubine. She didn't count the Xue brothers because they didn't have money. Who knew what it would be like if they had money?

Despite saying those words, Cheng Mutian secretly despised Jin Jiu Shao the most. He raised his arm and nudged her, saying softly, "Look at how intimate Jin Jiu Shao is with that courtesan in green. It's obvious they've met before. My elder sister said he hasn't brought anyone home in the past two years, but who knows if he's been cheating on her?"

Xiao Yuan was furious that Jin Jiushao had embraced a courtesan in front of the children. She stood up and said, "Let's go home. We'll come back when Jin Jiushao doesn't invite any more courtesans." She didn't lower her voice, but deliberately let Jin Jiushao outside the cabin hear her. He quickly released the courtesan and came in, saying, "Send them away, send them away." Xiao Yuan still stood there. Seeing that she wasn't joking, he quickly went out again, told the servant to bring money to distribute to the courtesans, and sent them away.

He lingered for a moment, holding hands with a courtesan, before entering the cabin and laughing, "Sister-in-law, you've been too kind to Erlang. These days, which young master goes boating on the lake without a few courtesans to accompany him? Anyone without company is a laughingstock." As he spoke, he casually pointed out the window, "Look at that boat over there, isn't every man embracing a courtesan?"

Xiao Yuan looked in the direction he pointed and saw a small boat. Inside the cabin, two men were drinking, each holding a courtesan who was only covered by a thin veil. As she stood there looking around, thinking of what to say to Jin Jiu Shao, Cheng Mutian recognized him and said, "Isn't that shifty-eyed guy from Yang Family Village?"

Chapter 186 The Beauty of West Lake (Part 2)

Xiao Yuan looked more closely at the small boat and saw that the man in the hemp robe and headscarf was indeed Master Yang from Yang Family Village. She couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Isn't Yang Family Village so poor that they can't even afford to eat? Look at what Master Yang is wearing, it's so shabby. How come he still has money to hire prostitutes?"

Although Jin Jiushao did not recognize Master Yang, he understood men and laughed, "Summoning such a low-class prostitute wouldn't cost much. As long as the family is doing well, what's wrong with going out for a bit of fun?"

Xiao Yuan and he couldn't see eye to eye, so she kept quiet. Cheng Mutian also just looked at the scenery without saying a word. Fortunately, Sister Cheng brought in a few maids with trays to serve the meal, which prevented the atmosphere from getting awkward.

Knowing that Brother Chen loved sweets, Sister Cheng specially prepared steamed eggplant with sugar, and for Brother Wu, she made a steamed shad. As usual, Cheng Mutian had a steamed goose in a bowl. Jin Jiu Shao teased Cheng Mutian, "You only like this one thing after another, don't you get tired of it?" Cheng Mutian shook his head, "I can't learn to love everything you see." Jin Jiu Shao, feeling awkward, picked up a cup of wine, got up, and went to the window to continue watching the prostitutes on the small boat. After watching for a while, he suddenly called out, "Hey, Master Yang, what's going on? Why are you arguing with the madam?" He seemed very interested in the argument over the prostitutes, and without even putting down his wine cup, he ran to the bow of the boat to watch the commotion.

Xiao Yuan and Cheng Mutian sat in the best spot by the window. With a slight turn of their heads, they could see the scene outside. Next to the small boat that Master Yang was riding, there was another boat carrying prostitutes. The madam seemed to have just jumped onto Master Yang's boat, grabbing his clothes and cursing, "You poor wretch, it's not impossible for you to redeem Sister Yin as a concubine, but you'll have to pay more."

Cheng Mutian whispered to Xiaoyuan, "Since Yang came into the mountains, he hasn't taken any more concubines. He must have been unable to resist." Xiaoyuan asked in confusion, "He has no sons. Taking a concubine or two wouldn't be a big deal. But wouldn't it be better to buy a respectable woman? Why does he have to buy a prostitute? It's causing unrest in his household." Cheng Mutian pointed to the boat carrying the prostitutes and said, "He can't even support his wife and daughters. How can he afford to buy a respectable concubine? He can only use a few coins to buy a cheap prostitute like this, drifting on the water."

Mr. Yang, still concerned about his reputation, didn't want the madam to keep calling him a penniless wretch, so he gave her a few extra coins to send her away. He then told the boatman to dock the boat and took the prostitute into a dilapidated carriage, presumably to go home.

Xiao Yuan picked up a piece of shad, removing the bones, and asked Cheng Mutian, "Second Brother, do you think Master Yang will throw a banquet for this concubine?" Sister Cheng ladled a bowl of soup for Fourth Sister Cheng and chimed in, "She's just a prostitute; she'll probably just be a concubine and that's it. Why would he throw a banquet and treat her like a proper concubine?" Cheng Mutian sneered, "Just watch. He'll definitely throw a banquet and use the opportunity to collect some money as gifts." Xiao Yuan, who was putting the fish she'd picked out into Wu Ge's bowl, heard his words and laughed so hard her hand trembled, almost throwing the fish at Wu Ge. "The Yang family has no relatives or friends in Lin'an. Throwing a banquet and collecting gifts—isn't that just blatant extortion?"

Sister Cheng found it amusing and said, "The Yang family was so arrogant back then, they even dared to harass Erlang's concubine. I never thought they'd end up having to borrow grain from you to survive." After she finished speaking, she quietly asked Xiaoyuan, "What happened to that concubine? Did you sell her?" Xiaoyuan twirled her chopsticks, not telling the truth, but going along with her, "Yes, she sold her. She got a sack of sorghum in return." Sister Cheng liked this straightforward approach, so she raised her wine cup and clinked it with hers.

Xiao Yuan remembered another purpose of the trip and asked her, "Big sister, how old were you when you started learning needlework?" Big sister Cheng thought for a moment and replied, "About six or seven years old." She glanced at Cheng Si Niang and said, "Si Niangzi should learn some needlework. Even if you don't know how to weave or tailor clothes, you should at least know how to embroider a few flowers, otherwise you will be looked down upon by your future husband's family."

These words were a veiled attack on Xiao Yuan. Cheng Mutian slammed his chopsticks down, about to speak, when Xiao Yuan quickly gave him a wink and whispered, "Eldest sister is always one to speak without thinking. Why bother arguing with her?" After saying that, she asked Fourth Sister Cheng, "Do you know any ladies in the city who are skilled in needlework? I'd like to invite one home to teach Fourth Sister."

Sister Cheng laughed and said, "Why bother hiring someone? Don't you have a sewing room at home? Just pull someone over to teach her." Xiao Yuan patted her head and said, "Look how silly I am! There's a ready-made teacher at home."

They ate and enjoyed the scenery, and before they knew it, the sun had set. They couldn't make it back to the mountains, but fortunately, they had brought all their clothes. So they said goodbye to Jin Jiu and his wife and took their families to the villa in the east of the city to rest.

Last year, while in the mountains, Madam Qian, after being earnestly persuaded by Xiao Tongqian, understood many things. This time, when they came, although she was indifferent, she didn't look for Chi. Zhonglang was naturally happy to see his bride and buried his face in her arms, refusing to come out. Xiao Yuan couldn't help but feel a little sad. If Madam Qian had been more sensible earlier and raised Zhonglang better, how could they have been separated from their son?

Cheng Si Niang also missed her mother. She carried her bundle to Aunt Ding's room, took out the cakes and candies inside, and stuffed them into Aunt Ding's hands, saying, "Aunt, my sister-in-law gives me snacks every day. I couldn't bear to finish them all, so I brought them for you to try." Aunt Ding held the snacks and looked at them, then suddenly hugged Cheng Si Niang and cried, "Being a concubine is so hard! I can't even keep my daughter by my side. Si Niang, you must become a principal wife in the future." She cried for a while, and before her tears had dried, she laughed again, "So what if you're a principal wife? Your stepmother still couldn't keep her son." Cheng Si Niang knew what was good for her and argued, "It's because my brother and sister-in-law were worried that Zhong Lang would go astray. Since Zhong Lang went to the mountain, he has become much more well-behaved, and he can even barely recognize a few characters."

Aunt Ding took her hand and looked at it. It was fair and tender, so she figured Cheng Mutian and Xiao Yuan hadn't made her suffer. Relieved, she asked, "Are you still going to school in the mornings? What do you do in the afternoons?" Cheng Si Niang replied, "Before, I would chat with my sister-in-law in the afternoons and then go back to my room to play for a while. But from now on, I'll be learning needlework." Aunt Ding laughed, "Your sister-in-law doesn't even know how to hold a needle, how can she teach you?" Cheng Si Niang replied, "There's a sewing room at home, and plenty of skilled seamstresses. Aunt, you don't need to worry." Aunt Ding was a little taken aback. Although her daughter was still considerate, these words sounded somewhat distant. She gently stroked Cheng Si Niang's hand for a while and said, "Aunt is quite good at needlework. Let's go into the mountains and teach you."

Cheng Si Niang was naturally happy to be able to live with her own mother, and immediately said with delight, "I'll go tell my sister-in-law." With that, she pulled Aunt Ding along and ran off to find Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan understood their purpose and remained silent for a while. Aunt Ding was naturally very good to her daughter, but that didn't mean she was easy to deal with. Letting her go into the mountains, who knew what kind of trouble she might cause in the long run? Seeing that her sister-in-law was only drinking tea with her head down and not saying a word, Cheng Si Niang understood seven or eight parts of the situation. She took Aunt Latin's hand and said softly, "Aunt, let's go."

Xiao Yuan sighed once again, realizing that her sister-in-law could never replace her own mother. But life is full of disappointments, and even she herself had many helpless moments. This time, Cheng Si Niang was destined to be heartbroken.

Aunt Ding refused to leave and stood firmly on the ground, saying, "Young Madam, I'm skilled at needlework and cooking. It would be wonderful if I could teach Fourth Sister Cheng." Xiao Yuan didn't want to pay attention to her, but in front of Fourth Sister Cheng, she had to give her some face, so she patiently explained, "My family has a sewing room, which Fourth Sister Cheng has probably already mentioned to you. As for the kitchen, my family has many cooks."

Aunt Ding retorted, "How could those servants be as well-educated as a birth mother?" Xiao Yuan thought to herself, "If you hadn't plotted against me back then, I wouldn't be so wary of you now." While she was still trying to figure out how to refute Aunt Ding without offending Cheng Si Niang, Madam Qian stood at the door and scolded, "I'm here to serve the principal wife, not to educate daughters! Besides, do you even have daughters? The Cheng family's children are all under my name. I'm still alive and well, and you treat me like a dead person, wanting to sneak into the mountains?"

After Zhonglang went into the mountains, she already felt lonely. Now that she saw that Aunt Ding was also leaving, she was not only annoyed but also a little afraid. The more she cursed, the angrier she became. She called Xiao Tongqian and was about to drag Aunt Ding into the woodshed.

Cheng Si Niang pounced on her, grabbed Xiao Tong Qian's hand, and wouldn't let her touch Aunt Ding. Seeing that no one was listening to her, Madam Qian went over herself and pinched Cheng Si Niang's arm a few times, scolding, "I think you've gone astray in the mountains. Why don't you come back and I'll teach you?"

Xiao Yuan didn't care whether Aunt Ding was beaten or not, but she felt sorry for Cheng Si Niang. She quickly ordered the wet nurse to pull her over. When she rolled up her sleeves, she saw that there were already several bruises on her arms. She couldn't say anything to Madam Qian, so she had no choice but to stand up and lead Cheng Si Niang back to her room.

Cheng Si Niang refused to move, clinging to her leg and pleading, "Sister-in-law, please save my aunt."

Aunt Ding herself didn't know how to flatter the first wife, so how could Xiao Yuan save her? This really put her in a difficult position. Helpless, she could only order someone to go up and break up the fight, and pleaded with Madam Qian: "Mother, please give your daughter-in-law some face and forgive her this time."

Zhonglang lives on the mountain and will rely on his elder brother and sister-in-law for a long time. Although Madam Qian was unwilling, she still told Xiaotongqian to let go of her hand, but she refused to leave Aunt Ding alone here. She called her over to help her up and cursed all the way to the main house.

Thinking of her own comfort on the mountain while her birth mother suffered with her stepmother, Cheng Si Niang was overcome with grief and squatted on the ground, wailing loudly. Rui Niang, who had been fast asleep in her cradle, was startled awake by her cries and began to sob incessantly. Cheng Mutian rushed in like an arrow, picked up Rui Niang, and patted and comforted her. His eyes swept across the room, then fixed on Cheng Si Niang, angrily demanding, "Who gave you permission to cry? You've frightened Rui Niang! Can you bear the consequences?" Xiao Yuan, seeing his continued favoritism, glared at him and quietly told him what had just happened, saying, "Aunt Ding wanted to come with us into the mountains, but I didn't want to, and my stepmother wouldn't allow it either, so she cried." Cheng Mutian was somewhat puzzled: "What's so good about Aunt Ding that Si Niang wants her to come along?" Xiao Yuan smiled: "No matter what Aunt Ding isn't good, she's still Si Niang's birth mother. She's only seven years old; naturally, she wants to be with her own mother." Chapter 187 Master Yang Takes a Concubine

Cheng Mutian glanced at Cheng Siniang and said coldly, "Want to be with your mother? Easy. Leave her here this time." Upon hearing this, Cheng Siniang was stunned and looked up at him with tears streaming down her face. Xiao Yuan pulled her up from the ground and coaxed her, "Your brother was just saying that out of anger. Don't be frightened by him."

It was June, but Cheng Mutian's face seemed to be covered with frost. He said angrily, "I feed her well and take good care of her, and I even spend time teaching her, but all she thinks about is being with her mother. Doesn't she know who her mother is? Back then, she dared to frame you with crabs just because she was pregnant, and she even tried to seize control of the household. If she goes up the mountain, will our family ever have a peaceful day?" Xiao Yuan scolded him, "Fourth Sister doesn't know about adult matters. She's only seven years old. Of course she wants to live with her mother. If it were your sons, who knows how much they would cry and make a fuss." Cheng Mutian snorted dismissively, but he didn't get angry anymore. He took Rui Niang outside to enjoy the scenery.

Xiao Yuan didn't know how to comfort Cheng Si Niang, so she could only attribute it all to "rules." Sighing, she took out some ointment and applied it for her. Cheng Si Niang took the ointment and applied it herself. As she applied it, tears fell again: "Sister-in-law, I didn't mean to cause you trouble, but my aunt is truly suffering." Xiao Yuan took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, saying, "Sister-in-law was also born to a concubine, so naturally you know this suffering. But once a woman becomes a concubine, what way out is there? The only way is to flatter the principal wife and suffer less beatings and scoldings." Cheng Si Niang seemed to understand. After applying the ointment, she went to find Aunt Ding and advised her to be more careful in front of Madam Qian and not to anger her. After Madam Qian's outburst, Aunt Ding also understood. Xiao Yuan wouldn't take her in, and Madam Qian wouldn't release her. She would never have the chance to be with her daughter again. Overwhelmed with grief, she didn't even eat dinner and hid in her room, sobbing softly.

At the dinner table, Madam Qian picked up her chopsticks, paused, and asked, "Why didn't Aunt Ding come to serve us? Why didn't Fourth Miss come to eat?" Little Copper Coin replied, "Aunt Ding is grieving in her room, and Fourth Miss is comforting her." Little Copper Coin, being tactless, only added fuel to the fire. Madam Qian's anger flared, and she slammed down her chopsticks, exclaiming, "Where do they think they've placed me, their legal wife and stepmother?"

Xiao Yuan quickly gave her wet nurse a look, signaling her to bring Aunt Ding and Sister Cheng to dinner. Aunt Ding received the message from her wet nurse and realized she had missed the mealtime. She hurriedly wiped away her tears, not even having time to reapply her makeup, and pulled Sister Cheng to the dining room.

Madam Qian hadn't had a chance to vent her anger in a long time, so she wasn't about to let it slip by. She tormented Aunt Ding over and over during the meal, making Cheng Si Niang's eyes well up with tears. Neither Madam Qian nor Aunt Ding were easy to deal with. Xiao Yuan didn't mind watching the show from the sidelines, but she felt sorry for Cheng Si Niang. She ate only a few bites before claiming she was full and led Cheng Si Niang back to her room.

Cheng Mutian was also annoyed by what he saw, so he took his family to a restaurant for another meal and strolled around the night market for a while. He figured that the two of them had probably calmed down, so he went back to the villa to rest.

Only one night later, Madam Qian brought up Aunt Ding's matter again. The whole family practically covered their ears and fled in panic, scrambling to get into the carriage and urging the driver to hurry on. Xiao Yuan patted her chest and said, "It's just that Aunt Ding wants to go into the mountains. What a small matter. Yet the stepmother has been making a fuss about it since yesterday." Cheng Mutian chuckled, "Perhaps she hasn't found a pretext in a long time."

Cheng Si Niang stared blankly out the carriage window, speechless. Xiao Yuan sighed, called her to her side, and asked, "Do you want your aunt to live a better life?" Cheng Si Niang slowly lowered her head and said timidly, "Of course I do, but I don't have the ability. I have to rely on my brother and sister-in-law to support me." Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "Life is long, why are you in such a hurry? We can't help your aunt with this, but you can." Cheng Si Niang looked up in surprise, staring at her intently. Even Cheng Mu Tian glanced over. Xiao Yuan said, "You should learn some skills, marry into a good family in the future, and when you can be in charge of your own household, what's wrong with using some of your savings to redeem your aunt from prostitution?"

Cheng Si Niang seemed to see a glimmer of hope; her eyes lit up and became much more radiant than usual.

Back home, Cheng Mutian couldn't help but question, "Are you instigating Fourth Madam to offend her husband's family?" Xiaoyuan laughed, "I was just teasing the child, and you actually took it seriously? By the time she gets married, that's ten years from now. By then, her stepmother will be old, and she'll probably have come to her senses and be willing to let go." Cheng Mutian flipped through a note on the table and said, "I'm afraid Aunt Ding herself won't want to be redeemed by then. What good will her freedom do? She'll be lacking food and clothing. It's better for her to suffer some grievances in the Cheng family; at least she'll have a full meal."

That's just how things are in this world; things rarely go as planned. Xiao Yuan sighed inwardly and casually asked, "Who sent the invitation?" Cheng Mutian laughed and said, "Who else could it be? The Yang family wants to take a concubine. It's probably that girl we saw on West Lake, what's her name, Sister Yin." Xiao Yuan took the invitation, looked at it, and laughed loudly, "You were absolutely right! They're offering a courtesan as a concubine just to collect a gift. They must be furious that Madam Yang is already married."

Cheng Mutian walked around the house, looking around, and pretended to be troubled: "What should we send? We're penniless." Xiao Yuan suppressed a laugh and chimed in, "That's right, the rice hasn't been harvested yet, and the wheat is still in the field. How about we send some vegetables?" Tian Da's wife, who was outside, heard this and, not knowing they were joking, chimed in, "Young master and young mistress don't know the etiquette of the mountains. If someone is getting married or taking a concubine, they just bring some wine and food to congratulate them. There's no need to send expensive gifts."

Cheng Mutian chuckled, lifted the curtain, and went out. He instructed her to prepare several jars of sorghum wine brewed by the villagers, and to slaughter a sheep, in preparation for a feast at Yangjia Village. Tian Da's wife hesitated, saying, "Young Master, isn't this a bit too much of a gift? Yangjia Village isn't exactly known for its kind people." Cheng Mutian was also taken aback: "This is too much? Any less would be embarrassing!" Xiao Yuan waved for Tian Da's wife to go and prepare, teasing him, "The rich young master wanted to use this opportunity to ridicule others, but unfortunately, he's used to being extravagant, turning a small gift into a large one." Seeing that the children were all inside, Cheng Mutian didn't want to pinch her cheeks as punishment, so he said, "What's there to be afraid of? We have a large family; we'll all go to the feast and eat Yangjia Village out of house and home."

Xiao Yuan took it as a joke, but to her surprise, when the feast was held at Yangjia Village in July, he actually brought all four of his children, except for Rui Niang, who was still breastfeeding. The group arrived at Yangjia Village in a grand procession, only to find the gate of the Yang family mansion decorated with some unremarkable red and green paper. Two musicians were playing the suona, but their playing was weak and feeble, turning a cheerful tune into a funeral dirge. Cheng Mutian frowned and said, "If you want us to bleed, you have to put in some effort. This shabby appearance is truly... Luckily, I only prepared wine and sheep."

Despite the invitation, the Yang family had hardly any relatives or friends present. Apart from a few outsiders who were there to accompany them, only Cheng Mutian's family was present. Madam Yang, accompanied by her two daughters, came out to greet them and led Xiaoyuan and the children inside to sit down.

Xiao Yuan glanced at her a few times and saw that the smile on her face was more like a cry, and her clothes were no longer the same as they were a year ago. Looking down at the tea, it was no longer Longjing tea, but a cup of dark, coarse tea that had been brewed in some unknown way.

Xiao Yuan said "Congratulations" and then didn't know what else to say. Madam Yang, however, seemed eager to get closer to her. She deliberately didn't sit in the main seat but chose a seat next to Xiao Yuan and said with a smile, "Although we adults have had a falling out, fortunately the children are still destined to be together. In a few years, they will probably become in-laws. Why don't we pick an auspicious day nearby and exchange the invitations?" Xiao Yuan looked at the black tea in her cup and felt helpless. More than a year had passed, so why did the Yang family still remember her little brother Wu? She raised her eyes slightly and saw that Madam Yang's face was full of expectation and she had no intention of letting her off the hook. So she had no choice but to bring up Cheng Mutian as the villain and said, "Hasn't Su Niang's invitation already been torn up by my husband once? We are all from the same village and neighbors. Why make such a fuss? Madam Yang should be more open-minded."

Madam Yang, as if insulted, exaggeratedly spat on the ground and said, "A concubine's daughter, is she worth my concern? I'm referring to your Wu-ge and my Zi-niang." Xiao-yuan glanced at Wu-ge, who was stuffing candy into Su-niang's hands, and said, "My sons' marriages are a matter of their own wishes. Let's wait until Wu-ge is an adult. He's still a child; how can he tell?" Madam Yang smiled, her eyes crinkling, "How can you not see it? Your Wu-ge is very good to my Zi-niang, bringing her food and toys every few days." Xiao-yuan was taken aback; indeed, that was something she had taught him. "Children can't be trusted. Didn't he give some to Su-niang too?"

Madam Yang, with an expression that said "you don't know anything," happily took out two "Mickey Mouse" toys and said with a smile, "Look, the big one is for Zi Niang, and the small one is for Su Niang. I suppose Wu Ge is shy and embarrassed to only send one, so he used Su Niang as a cover."

Xiao Yuan almost dropped the teacup she was pretending to drink. Her Zi Niang was the one putting on a show, and besides, Wu Ge was shy... She turned her head and looked at her eldest son again, remembering his spoiled and unreasonable manner. She thought to herself, "There is probably no one in this world as shameless as him. Even Gan Twelve would have to admit defeat."

Seeing that she remained silent and only looked at Wu Ge again and again, Madam Yang thought that she was moved and hurriedly said, "There's no time like the present. The matchmaker is here, shall we change the marriage proposal?" Xiao Yuan was not sure how to refuse the enthusiasm. Hearing this, she finally seized the opportunity and said with a stern face, "You are a lowly matchmaker who brings concubines into the house. How can you be qualified to arrange a marriage for my son? Don't mention it again."

"Oh, oh, it was my mistake, my mistake. Your Cheng family is wealthy, so naturally you should use a top-notch matchmaker to exchange betrothal gifts." Madam Yang nodded repeatedly, as if she were treating her as a future in-law.

After sitting for a while longer, the feast was finally brought out. The children, who were already starving, swarmed forward, each taking a seat, their eyes fixed on Madam Yang, waiting for her to announce the start of the meal. Madam Yang, however, remained unhurried and instructed a maid, "Where is the newlywed concubine? Tell her to come and serve you." The maid replied in a low voice, "Madam, she's newly married today and is sitting in her bridal chamber." Madam Yang slammed her hand on the table, making the plates and bowls bounce. "A concubine? Where does she have a bridal chamber? If she doesn't come over, I'll beat her out with a stick!"

The concubine named Yin Jie was quite clever. Before the maid could even call her, she arrived herself, her small feet shuffling, her waist swaying like a willow branch. She stood beside Madam Yang, curtsied, and said with a smile, "Master urged me to drink, and I had a few too many cups, so I'm late. Madam is magnanimous; I'm sure you won't hold a grudge against a mere concubine like me." Madam Yang, who had intended to argue with her, was effectively silenced by Yin Jie's words, leaving her feeling quite stifled. Xiao Yuan thought to herself, "This concubine is far more cunning than Madam Yang. It seems the Yang family is in for a few days of turmoil." However, she underestimated the battle-hardened Madam Yang. She picked up her teacup and handed it to Yin Jie behind her, casually saying, "The tea's cold; bring me another." Yin Jie responded and reached for the teacup, but something sharp was stuck to the bottom, and the moment she picked it up, it cut her hand, drawing blood.

Xiao Yuan was terrified and quickly covered Cheng Si Niang's eyes. She also told the other children to turn their backs so they wouldn't see the bloody scene.

Bloodshed on such a joyous occasion is extremely unlucky. Seeing that Yin Jie was about to lose control, Madam Yang scolded the maidservant beside her, saying, "Look how capable Yin Jie is! A mere courtesan, she entered the household as a concubine. You've been in our Yang family for years and are still just a maidservant. Don't you know how to learn from her?" The maidservant, provoked by this, gritted her teeth in hatred. She stepped forward, helped Yin Jie up, and dragged her out the door, saying, "Sister, don't think you're a concubine. You're no different from me, a maidservant. If the main wife beats or scolds you, you have to endure it..."

Madam Yang took out a handkerchief to wipe her hands, then casually threw it on the ground. With a wave of her hand, maids and servants immediately came up and cleaned up the place in the blink of an eye, making it impossible to tell that a bloody incident had just occurred.

The boys were carefree and didn't think much of it, but Cheng Si Niang was quite frightened. She thought to herself, "So concubines can be beaten and scolded at will. Aunt Ding's treatment is actually quite good."

Seeing her pale face, Xiao Yuan knew she was frightened, so she picked up her chopsticks, intending to offer her a nice dish to comfort her. However, after holding up one arm for a long time, she couldn't find a single dish that looked appetizing. Having no other choice, she humbly asked Madam Yang for help, pointing to the nearest plate. Madam Yang said, "That's radish peel, it's crisp and fresh, you should try some." Xiao Yuan had eaten fermented rice with radish peel before, but this plate probably looked like it had been freshly washed and served. She then pointed to a bowl of porridge in front of Cheng Si Niang and asked, "Is this vegetable porridge?" Madam Yang replied, "It was just dug this morning, it's very tender."

Chapter 188 Leaving the Mountain

After returning home from the banquet, the children all complained that they weren't full. Wu Ge and Chen Ge especially clamored for the dishes they had eaten on West Lake. Xiao Yuan thought for a moment and thought of two dishes: steamed shad and steamed eggplant with sugar. She went to the kitchen to ask. The cook took a plump shad out of the water vat and smiled, "This thing is precious, but it's a wild fish. We have it in our river." Xiao Yuan nodded and stood aside to watch how she did it. She saw the cook remove the shad's intestines but leave the scales, then wipe away the blood with a clean cloth and place it in a colander. Another cook helping out picked up peppercorns, cardamom, and soy sauce, ground them into powder, added water, wine, and scallions, mixed them well, and then steamed the shad with all the seasonings.

While the shad was being steamed and scaled, the steamed eggplant with sugar was still not ready. Xiao Yuan called the cook to ask, and the cook smiled and said, "Young Madam, this is very time-consuming and laborious. We're only just starting to make it now, and it will be three days before we can eat it." Xiao Yuan asked in surprise, "An eggplant takes so long?" It turned out that to make steamed eggplant with sugar, you had to choose tender and large eggplants with lobes like milk, without removing the stems, and cut them into six pieces. For every fifty catties, add one ounce of salt, mix well, and blanch in boiling water until the color changes. Then drain it and mix in mint and fennel powder. But that's not all. The mixed eggplant also had to be put into half a cup of vinegar along with two catties of sugar and soaked for three nights before being dried in the sun.

Xiao Yuan clicked her tongue in amazement, but the cook said, "The dried eggplants still need to be put into the braising liquid and repeatedly taken out to dry until the braising liquid is used up and the eggplants are dry. Finally, they are flattened and hidden away, and taken out again when you want to eat them." Xiao Yuan thought it was too much trouble and wanted to make another dish, but unfortunately the cook's eggplants had already been mixed with the seasonings for steamed eggplant with sugar, so she had no choice but to let them finish making it.

Since the eggplant couldn't be eaten right away, the cook made a sweet dish instead and served it to Brother Chen. Xiao Yuan wandered around the kitchen for a while and said, "Let's also make a steamed goose. Young Master must not have eaten enough." Sure enough, Cheng Mutian had drunk several cups of sorghum wine on an empty stomach and came back complaining of feeling unwell. Xiao Yuan quickly made a hangover soup for him and fed it to him. She also gave him a few bites of the steamed goose, and he felt better afterward.

A few days later, several mid-level matchmakers dressed in yellow vests arrived at the Cheng family, claiming to be entrusted by Madam Yang to exchange marriage contracts with Wu Ge. Xiao Yuan then remembered what she had taken as a joke and smiled at Cheng Mutian, saying, "Madam Yang has taken a liking to your eldest son and is determined to marry her own daughter, Zi Niang, to us." Cheng Mutian didn't even let the matchmakers in, casually replying, "Alright, let her marry him as a concubine. Whether she'll be treated well or not is another matter." Xiao Yuan slapped him without hesitation, scolding, "How can we have a concubine in our household? It'll cause unrest!"

She thought that Madam Yang had been turned away and would continue to harass her, but after half a month, there was still no movement. When she asked around, she found out that it was because the new lady Yin Jie who had entered the Yang family was so capable. She had occupied Master Yang for as many days as she had entered the family. Madam Yang was busy fighting at home every day and had no time to spare for anything else.

Taking the opportunity, Xiao Yuan lectured the three men in the household—one adult and two children—explaining in detail the dangers of having a concubine. Wu Ge, however, remarked, "This concubine is a good thing. Because of her, Madam Yang hasn't had time to torment Su Niang, and these past few days, Su Niang has been able to eat her fill." Xiao Yuan didn't argue with him about the right or wrong of this statement, but instead glared at him, saying, "No concubines allowed, it's a family rule." Wu Ge scratched his head, unable to recall such a rule in their family, but still obediently nodded.

Although the Yang family hadn't bothered them yet, Cheng Mutian was starting to consider leaving. He discussed with Xiaoyuan, "Wife, if we stay in the mountains for too long, Wu-ge and Chen-ge will only see some country girls. Are we really going to wait until they're older and then marry young ladies like Zi-niang and Su-niang? Anyway, the rumors of the government plundering wealthy families have died down now. Why don't we move back?" Xiaoyuan gently pinched Rui-niang's saliva-stained cheek and asked with a smile, "What, aren't Zi-niang and Su-niang good enough?" Cheng Mutian leaned closer to look at Rui-niang and said, "They're not good enough for my son, and they can't compare to my daughter."

Seeing her parents watching her, Rui Niang started whimpering, wanting to be held. Xiao Yuan chuckled and scolded her, "Little rascal," then picked her up and handed her to Cheng Mutian, saying, "Going back is easy. Our old house wasn't sold. I'll send someone back to clean and tidy it up for a few days, and we'll move back before the New Year." Cheng Mutian was somewhat surprised and said, "I thought you were reluctant to leave this mountain." Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "I am reluctant, but Wu Ge will be old enough to start school next year. Although Master Yuan's knowledge is good, it's just one person's opinion. He should go and see how a real teacher teaches. Besides, if he stays at home in the primary school, he won't meet any new people. We should find him an academy so he can learn how to get along with other children."

Cheng Mutian exclaimed that his wife had great insight, and then took Rui Niang out to find their two sons and tell them that they were going back to the city.

Xiao Yuan sent most of the people from the Fourth Bureau and Sixth Division back to the old house to do some preliminary cleaning and tidying work. When Tian Da's wife heard the news, she came to find her and asked, "Young Madam, the rice and wheat are still in the fields. What should we do?" Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "Tian Da knows the work in the fields better than I do. Just ask him. If there is no income by autumn, I will not be satisfied." Cheng Mutian added, "Just be careful to prevent Yang Family Village from stealing grain. We will come back again during the autumn harvest to teach you how to make yeast from rice and flour." Xiao Yuan instructed, "As long as bamboo shoots are profitable, the workshop must keep running. Tell them not to be lazy. This year, less sorghum was planted. If there is not enough food, wait until the end of the year when we make money to buy some grain to eat." Tian Da's wife agreed to everything and turned to inform Tian Da, telling him to act according to the young master and young madam's instructions.

When Madam Yang heard that they were going back to the city, she hurriedly brought Zi Niang to try to persuade them to stay. As soon as they entered the room, they saw a row of large trunks on the floor, already tied with hemp rope. She said disappointedly, "Are you really leaving?" Xiao Yuan was busy and hated that she was causing trouble. She said impatiently, "Our family originally lived in the city. This is the separate courtyard."

Upon hearing this, Madam Yang seemed to remember something and became happy again, saying, "I know you look down on our family for being poor, but it's rare that Brother Wu and Zi Niang have been playing together since childhood and know each other inside and out. As elders, how can we separate them? Why don't we arrange a marriage and you bring our Zi Niang into your family as soon as possible?"

Seeing that her words were becoming increasingly outrageous, Xiao Yuan invoked the rules of propriety and said righteously, "Since ancient times, only the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers have been established for marriage. How can the private interactions of children be counted?" Madam Yang, who was eager to have Zi Niang go to the city with the Cheng family, shamelessly said, "They have already exchanged tokens of affection, so..." Xiao Yuan interrupted her, saying, "A private engagement can only result in a concubine. Madam Yang, you must know this rule, right? If you really want your daughter to be a concubine, then write a contract of sale. But let me make this clear: once she enters my house, I will have no choice but to beat her, scold her, or even sell her off."

Madam Yang, who already had concubines, was unwilling to let her own daughter become a concubine. Upon hearing her talk of "secretly pledging her life to someone else," her face immediately turned red and white. Xiao Yuan, seeing that although her expression had changed, she still had no intention of selling her, became extremely angry and loudly called for the maid to bring up the soup and see the guest out.