Sécurité

Chapitre 65

Ah Xiu accepted the order and went to find Aunt Ding, asking, "Where is Fourth Sister?" Aunt Ding was embroidering Fourth Sister's wedding dress when she heard this, and smiled broadly, saying, "She went to the Li family to see Madam with Madam Zheng."

Ah Xiu felt a chill in her heart upon hearing that she had indeed gone to the Li family. She hurriedly asked, "When did she go?" Aunt Ding replied, "This morning." Ah Xiu snatched the embroidery frame from her hand and exclaimed, "You still know you went in the morning? It's already afternoon, and she hasn't returned yet. Don't you, as her birth mother, know how to worry?" Aunt Ding was convinced that she was jealous and scolded, "You just can't stand to see us doing well. Fourth Miss hasn't returned because Madam Li likes her and is keeping her for dinner." Ah Xiu had never seen such a muddle-headed person. A breath caught in her chest as she retorted, "After being a concubine for so many years, you still don't understand the status of a concubine? Just a maidservant, do you think you have the fate to eat at the same table as Madam Li? Serving her dinner is more appropriate for you."

Aunt Ding laughed: "I knew you were just jealous. Fourth Miss is going to be the principal wife, not a maidservant."

Ah Xiu looked her up and down a few times, then looked at the furnishings in the room, and asked, "Have you prepared her dowry?" Aunt Ding said, "The Li family is rich and doesn't care about dowries. Don't think everyone is like you." Ah Xiu was born with a fiery temper, and it was already rare for her to tolerate her for so long. Hearing such unreasonable words, how could she bear it? She stepped forward and slapped her twice with great speed.

She was so fast that Aunt Ding was stunned for a few seconds before she felt the pain. She screamed, "I am no longer your concubine, you can't hit me!" Ah Xiu laughed, "Who said that? If I remember correctly, your indenture is still in our young mistress's hands, isn't it?" Aunt Ding was so shocked that she took two steps back, her back pressed tightly against the wall. She had gotten used to being in charge these days and had forgotten that being kicked out and gaining freedom were two completely different things.

Hearing the commotion, the neighbors all came upstairs and gathered around, standing in the corridor to watch the excitement. Ah Xiu wasn't afraid of being watched, and stepped forward to pull at Aunt Ding, saying, "Aren't you coming back with me to accept your punishment?" Aunt Ding refused to move, clinging tightly to the door beside her, preventing Ah Xiu from pulling her.

Sister-in-law Zheng's daughter was also in the crowd. Knowing that her family still needed Aunt Ding to make money, she said to Axiu, "Your sister-in-law is unreasonable. Since she kicked her out, why did she bring her back?" Axiu said, "If she hadn't been so disrespectful, do you think I would have wanted to bring her back? It's not a good job."

Sister-in-law Zheng's daughter retorted, "That's even more unreasonable. This concubine lives here and has hardly ever left the courtyard. How could she possibly offend your mistress?" Seeing that she had interrupted her several times, Ah Xiu glared at her fiercely and said, "Who do you think you are, meddling in my family affairs? Our Fourth Mistress is the mistress, and she, a mere concubine, dares to secretly arrange a marriage for her. Isn't that insubordination?"

Concubines are not human; they cannot raise children or decide on their children's marriages. Even the poor understand these principles. The onlookers nodded in agreement, saying, "They were indeed wrong and should go back to accept their punishment."

Zheng's daughter was about to argue again when Axiu shoved her aside and shouted downstairs, "Cheng Fu, hurry up and bring people up, and remember to bring rope and rags." Cheng Fu led two servants upstairs, stuffed a rag into Ding's mouth, and complained, "Just a concubine, yet she's wasting so much of our time." The two servants were also unhappy that Ding was delaying their work, so one held her down and the other tied her up with rope. In no time, they had her tightly bound, carried her up and down the stairs, and threw her into the carriage.

Back at the Cheng residence, A-Xiu, worried that Aunt Ding would cause a scene, simply left the rope untied and moved the human-shaped rice dumpling to the hall. Xiao Yuan, seeing that only Aunt Ding was there and Cheng Mutian hadn't returned yet, sensed something was wrong and her heart leaped into her throat. A-Xiu stepped forward and recounted how Aunt Ding had secretly arranged a marriage for Cheng Si-Niang, only to be deceived by Sister-in-law Zheng, angrily saying, "That lowly concubine, she sold herself and then tried to sell Si-Niang too! Young Madam, you must give her a good talking-to!"

Xiao Yuan had the maid remove the rag from Aunt Ding's mouth and asked her, "Is what A-Xiu said true?" Aunt Ding was terrified, not knowing whether it was Sister Zheng's words or A-Xiu's words that were true, and hurriedly said, "I want to see Fourth Sister."

Ah Xiu kicked her and cursed, "Fourth Miss has been sold to the Li family to be a concubine. Go and see the Li family!"

No sooner had she finished speaking than a cry came from the doorway. It turned out that Cheng Si Niang had returned following Cheng Mutian. She knelt down with a thud, crawled to Xiao Yuan's side, and hugged her legs, crying, "Sister-in-law, save me!" A Xiu and A Cai pulled her away from either side, saying, "Why didn't you think to inform the young mistress when you got engaged, Si Niang? Now that something's happened, you suddenly remember? Was our young mistress born to clean up your messes?"

Seeing that her clothes were neat, Xiao Yuan figured she hadn't suffered any loss, so she left her aside and asked Cheng Mutian, "Did the Li family make things difficult for you?" Cheng Mutian took a sip of tea and replied, "No, they are in-laws after all." He said this with a very calm expression, and Xiao Yuan asked in surprise, "Why aren't you angry?" Cheng Mutian smiled and said, "I was angry at first, but the Li family said that for our sake, even if she becomes a maidservant, they will elevate her to the status of a concubine. The Li family is a good match for our family, and for someone of her status, becoming a concubine wouldn't be a disgrace. Why should I be angry?"

Chapter 198 So That's How It Is (Part 2)

Cheng Si Niang's face turned deathly pale in an instant. Xiao Yuan noticed her expression, then looked at Cheng Mutian, who was calmly sipping his tea, and asked urgently, "Second Brother, what did you say to the Li family?" Cheng Mutian put down his teacup and replied, "Aunt Ding has already sold Si Niangzi to the Li family, what else could I say?"

Aunt Ding was still tied up, but her mouth was empty. She shouted, "Nonsense! I didn't sell Fourth Sister!" Xiao Yuan was furious at her nonsense and said rudely, "You have no right to sell her. You're still a slave yourself." Then she turned to Cheng Mutian and said, "What she sold doesn't count. At most, it's just kidnapping."

Cheng Mutian, who seemed slightly angry, glared at Cheng Si Niang and said, "We've already exchanged birth dates and times, and entered the Li family. Is this matter still up for debate?"

The birth date and time were such an important thing, yet Aunt Ding gave them away so casually. Xiao Yuan was furious and ordered A Cai to drag her to the woodshed and give her a good beating. Cheng Si Niang suddenly pounced on Aunt Ding, standing between her and A Xiu, and said in a panic, "It's not Aunt's fault, it's all my fault."

Xiao Yuan asked, "Do you know that Aunt Ding has no right to decide your marriage?" Cheng Si Niang remained silent for a long time before saying, "I heard it from a sister-in-law in the building, but I don't know if it's true." Xiao Yuan said, "It's my fault for not teaching her properly. It's not your fault, but Aunt Ding knowingly violated the rules. A few slaps are too lenient. Even if I beat her to death, what's the point?" Cheng Si Niang looked up at her in a panic, but her hands were tightly gripping Aunt Ding's. A Xiu had no pity and forcibly pried her hands apart, advising, "Si Niangzi, don't lower yourself to this level."

Cheng Si Niang slumped onto the carved blue brick floor, muttering to herself, "Identity? What exactly is my identity?" Seeing that she was still confused, Xiao Yuan hardened her heart and said, "In the past, your sister-in-law was always afraid that you would be hurt, and couldn't bear to let you suffer even the slightest grievance. I never thought that it would harm you. Now it's time to make you understand some things..." Before she could finish speaking, Cheng Mutian interrupted her, "What else is there to say? The Li family's sedan chair will be here in a few days. It would be better to find a sensible person to talk to her about the principles of being a concubine."

Cheng Si Niang's face paled even more. She threw herself at Xiao Yuan's feet, crying, "Sister-in-law, I don't want to be a concubine!" Compared to her panic, Xiao Yuan remained calm. She understood that if Cheng Si Niang were to become a wife through proper betrothal, things would indeed be difficult at this point. But as a concubine, there was always room for reconciliation. However, she didn't want to tell her directly that she had protected Cheng Si Niang too much over the years, turning her into a hothouse flower that couldn't withstand any storms. Her decision to drive Cheng Si Niang out of the house was not only a punishment for her, but also a reflection on her own parenting methods.

The principle is clear, but putting it into practice is incredibly difficult. Xiao Yuan glanced at Cheng Si Niang, who was kneeling at her feet, and then looked away: "If you don't want to be a concubine, you should act with dignity. With your spineless appearance, who would want to hire you as their principal wife?"

Cheng Si Niang had never heard Xiao Yuan speak so harshly before. She stared wide-eyed in disbelief, but Xiao Yuan's gaze never fell on her. So she had no choice but to get up on her own and stand with her hands clasped in front of her.

Cheng Mutian nodded approvingly: "She should have understood her place long ago." Xiao Yuan smiled bitterly. She had always been reluctant to let her go, but she never expected that it would harm her instead. It turns out that in such a dog-eat-dog society, etiquette is not without reason. Only by accepting one's place can one avoid feeling lost.

Cheng Si Niang lowered her eyes, seemingly lost in thought, and said softly, "I will heed your teachings, sister-in-law." A Cai, still kind-hearted, moved a stool to place beside Cheng Si Niang, but Xiao Yuan said, "Let her stand." Cheng Si Niang appeared somewhat surprised, her eyelashes fluttering slightly. Xiao Yuan said, "It's not that I want to punish you by making you stand. I know you have bound feet, but if you become someone's concubine, neither your mother-in-law nor your wife will pity you just because you have bound feet. When they stand, you have to stand; when they sit down, you still have to stand."

Cheng Si Niang couldn't help but sob. Xiao Yuan hadn't finished speaking when she said, "This is nothing, just the rules. If you're unlucky enough to run into a jealous wife, she might beat and scold you at the drop of a hat, and sell you off when she's not happy." Cheng Si Niang wanted to kneel down again, but she was afraid Xiao Yuan would scold her. Her legs started to tremble, and she cried, "Sister-in-law, I don't want to be a concubine."

Seeing her like this, Xiao Yuan couldn't bear it. She gritted her teeth, turned her head to the other side, and asked, "If you don't want to be a concubine, then what do you want to be?" Cheng Si Niang hurriedly replied, "I don't aspire to be like my eldest sister, but I'm willing to live the same life as my third sister." Xiao Yuan asked, "Aren't you afraid of hardship?" Cheng Si Niang smiled bitterly, "Being a concubine is hard work too."

Hearing her words, Xiao Yuan felt slightly comforted and turned to Cheng Mutian, asking, "Second Brother, Fourth Sister is certainly wrong, but I'm not entirely right either. Why not give her a chance? Is there any room for maneuver regarding the Li family matter?" Cheng Mutian scoffed, "A concubine? What room for maneuver? Even if she signed a contract of servitude, we can buy her back." He glanced at Fourth Sister Cheng and added, "If you want to bring her back, fine, but you can't spoil her anymore." Xiao Yuan nodded, "My aunt has also explained these principles to me, and I understand. Since she wants to live like Third Sister, I'll send her to work at the artificial flower workshop, what do you think?" Cheng Mutian said, "That's excellent. Supporting herself is what someone of her status should do. It just so happens that the Gan family elders are still staying in Lin'an temporarily. Tomorrow, we'll take the children to visit them and drop Fourth Sister off on the way."

Xiao Yuan nodded and got up to prepare the gifts. Suddenly, Cheng Si Niang asked, "Sister-in-law, what about my aunt?" Xiao Yuan paused, but did not stop. Without turning her head, she said, "This is not your concern. When you get to your husband's family, remember to be careful with your words and actions. Not everyone is as tolerant as your sister-in-law in interfering in the affairs of the head of the household."

She stormed back to her room and collapsed onto the couch. A-Cai sighed, "Fourth Miss will probably be pondering today's words for a while." As she finished speaking, she looked up and saw Xiao Yuan's face was covered in tears. She thought to herself: So the person who enlightened her is also suffering. Sister-in-law Yu comforted Xiao Yuan, "Fourth Miss will eventually understand the young mistress's good intentions." Xiao Yuan wiped away her tears and said, "Whether she understands or not doesn't matter. As long as she can establish herself in her husband's family and not let my efforts in raising her be in vain, that's enough."

A-Cai opened the box, took out a piece of Shu brocade with a sunflower pattern, and asked Xiao-Yuan, "Young Madam, is this appropriate as a gift?" Xiao-Yuan glanced at it and said, "We're just related by marriage, why send such an expensive gift?" A-Cai smiled and said, "I heard that the Gan family has a young master, about the same age as Fourth Madam." Xiao-Yuan smiled bitterly and said, "Don't just look at how poor the Gan family is; the Gan family is a wealthy and influential family in Quanzhou." Sister-in-law Yu nodded and said, "Even if the Gan family isn't rich, there are plenty of people who are rich but lack status, or who have status but aren't rich." After she finished speaking, she sighed, "Fourth Madam, because of Aunt Ding's fuss, is caught between a rock and a hard place, and it's difficult for her to find a suitable partner." Xiao-Yuan also sighed, "Fortunately, she's only eleven, so there's still some time to slowly look around."

When A-Cai heard that Fourth Madam and the Gan family could not be related by marriage, she put the Shu brocade back and took out a few boxes of yeast. She asked, "Young Madam, is this alright?" Xiao-Yuan nodded and smiled, "Very good, just give us things produced in our own village." A-Cai was flattered and wrapped up the yeast. She also packed two boxes of pickled bamboo shoots, dried bamboo shoots, and other items sent from the manor, preparing to take them to the Gan family the next day.

When the children returned home in the evening, they were overjoyed to hear that they would be visiting the Gan family the next day and would not have to go to school. Chen Ge, thinking about seeing Qian Qian, unconsciously smiled as he ate his meal, even though he was still sitting upright. Wu Ge, looking excited, hurriedly ate a few mouthfuls of rice, said he was going to prepare crickets, pinched Rui Niang's cheek, patted Chen Ge's head, and jumped away.

Cheng Mutian had been annoyed by his son's lack of manners for over ten years and had lost his temper. He simply turned to the wet nurse and instructed, "Go tell him he can only sleep after writing a hundred pieces." Xiao Yuan asked, "What does going to Gan Shier's house have to do with crickets?" Cheng Mutian replied, "Autumn is here. Besides working at the toy store, he has nothing else to do. What else can he do but fight crickets?" Xiao Yuan sighed inwardly. Indeed, no one in this world is perfect. Gan Shier had even fallen out with his family to avoid taking a concubine, but he had no talent for making money. Cheng San Niang was busy every day, while he had nothing to do and could only pass the time with toys. She thought carefully about herself. Would she rather have a man who could make money and liked to take concubines, or a man who didn't take concubines and couldn't make money? As she thought about it, she smiled. The man sitting next to her was so perfect. Why was she worrying about other people's affairs?

Seeing her grinning like an idiot while eating, Cheng Mutian poked her with the tip of his chopsticks, puzzled, and said, "Brother Chen only ate so little, and you're still laughing?" Xiao Yuan looked up and saw that Brother Chen had finished eating and was bowing, preparing to go to his study. She frowned and asked, "Brother Chen, how many bowls did you eat?" Brother Chen replied, "One bowl." Cheng Mutian pointed to the chair: "Eat another bowl." Brother Chen shook his head with difficulty: "I really can't eat anymore." Cheng Mutian had no choice but to let him go; he couldn't force him to eat.

Xiao Yuan said worriedly, "He eats so little, yet he's so fat. It's all because he goes into his study and never comes out. He sits there all day without moving. What should we do?" Cheng Mutian didn't mind his son's weight and said, "Would it be better if he were as active as Brother Wu? Poor people can't even get fat. What's the big deal? Brother Wu eats three bowls of rice a meal, but he only eats one. The important thing is to find a way to get him to eat more."

Rui Niang swallowed a mouthful of rice and said, "Second Brother isn't eating because he's afraid he'll be too full to eat sweets." Xiao Yuan laughed, "This child hasn't changed in years; he still loves sweets. Even I, a girl, can't compare to him." Cheng Mutian laughed, "Does eating sweets differentiate between boys and girls?" He remembered the tooth that Chen Ge had pulled when he was little and hurriedly said, "We can't let him eat too much. As his mother, you have to keep an eye on him." Xiao Yuan wiped Rui Niang's mouth and nodded, "Of course I have to. Less sweets, more exercise. When we get back from the Gan family, I'll make a weight loss plan for him."

Chapter 199 Disdain for the Poor and Favor of the Rich

Before heading to the Gan family, Chen secretly hid a bag of candy in his pocket, but Xiao Yuan discovered it and scolded him. Not only did she not take him with her, but she also sent him to the academy to prevent him from secretly meeting Gan Qianqian. Cheng Mutian felt a pang of pity and defended his son, saying, "It's just a bag of candy, what's wrong with him eating a little? Is it necessary to punish him like this?" Xiao Yuan retorted irritably, "Do you think he's the one eating it? Doesn't Cheng San Niang's family have candy? That's for Qianqian. The older the child gets, the harder he is to manage; it's better not to let them meet."

Cheng Mutian didn't know the main reason why she forbade Chen Ge from getting close to Qian Qian, but he agreed, saying, "That's right. Qian Qian is not good enough for Chen Ge. Marriage is a major event, and it has always been decided by parents. You are right to interfere." Xiao Yuan was very happy to see that he was on the same side as her. They walked together and discussed the children's future and marriage. Before they knew it, they had walked all the way to the front of the Gan family's house.

Cheng San Niang was already waiting at the gate. When she saw the family, she hurried over and asked, "Why didn't Brother Chen come?" Xiao Yuan replied, "That child is a bookworm. He insisted on going to the academy, and we couldn't persuade him otherwise." Cheng San Niang couldn't hide her disappointment. She wanted to say something, but in the end, she didn't say anything and silently welcomed them inside.

Xiao Yuan pretended not to see the expression on her face and asked, "Where are Master Gan and Madam Gan? Let's go pay our respects." Gan Twelve came out carrying a bamboo cage containing crickets and said, "My mother went to visit an old friend, and my father took the opportunity to take my second brother to a brothel. Brother and sister-in-law, come and see my crickets first?" Wu Ge cheered and pounced on him, taking the silver wire cage from his waist and saying, "Third Uncle, I'll fight with you." Cheng Mutian's face darkened and he said, "All you know how to do is play. Why don't I see you studying with this much effort?" Xiao Yuan gently pulled him and said, "You don't have any other children to play with. What else can he do if he doesn't fight crickets?" As soon as she finished speaking, a boy a head taller than Wu Ge ran out of the house and chased after Gan Twelve, shouting, "Wait for me!"

Cheng Mutian laughed, "There are children, but they've all gone to fight crickets." Xiaoyuan asked Cheng Sanniang, "Is that your second brother's son?" Cheng Sanniang shook her head, "My second brother's children didn't come. That's my second sister-in-law's nephew." Xiaoyuan laughed, "He's quite robust." Cheng Sanniang didn't say anything, but Gan's second sister-in-law inside the house heard her and walked to the door with a smile, "Is this my twelfth brother's wife's sister-in-law?" Cheng Mutian saw a female guest, greeted her, and went to watch Gan Twelve and the others fight crickets.

The second sister-in-law of the Gan family, perhaps because Xiao Yuan had praised her nephew, was exceptionally warm towards her, taking her hand and welcoming her inside, making it seem as if Cheng San Niang was the guest. While sipping tea, Xiao Yuan discreetly observed the second sister-in-law of the Gan family. She noticed a group of beautiful women kneeling beside her, counting four or five at most, and thought to herself, "The Gan family's boat must be very large; they've come all this way, perhaps they should have brought a whole bunch of concubines."

The second sister-in-law of the Gan family was also sizing up Xiao Yuan. Seeing that there was only one maid behind her, who was dressed quite well, she asked, "Is this a concubine?" Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "Stop it quickly, she has already been betrothed to someone." The second sister-in-law of the Gan family asked in surprise, "Why don't you have any concubines to serve you when you go out?" Xiao Yuan was now all alone and was not afraid of being known for being jealous. She said, "I used to have one or two, but I didn't like them, so I sold them."

Gan's second sister-in-law secretly admired her, then glanced at Cheng Si Niang and Rui Niang sitting beside her and asked, "Are these your two daughters?"

Seeing that she had confused the seniority, Cheng Si Niang quickly interjected, "The elder one is my sister, Cheng Si Niang; the younger one is my niece, Rui Niang." Gan's second sister-in-law took two pairs of bracelets from a concubine and handed them over, saying, "They're not anything special, take them and give them to the maid." Xiao Yuan instructed the two women to thank Gan's second sister-in-law, take the bracelets, and then hand them to the wet nurse behind her. Gan's second sister-in-law recalled how, when she gave Qian Qian the bracelets earlier, the child had taken them and immediately slipped them onto her wrist—compared to these two, they were incredibly rude. She carefully examined Rui Niang, finding her beautiful and upright, and truly growing to love her more and more. Unfortunately, she was too far older than her nephew, so she could only think of her in her heart.

After exchanging a few words with her sister-in-law, Gan's second sister-in-law tried to strike up a conversation with Cheng San Niang, but Cheng San Niang was reluctant to talk to her and spoke first, asking Xiao Yuan, "Sister-in-law, last night you sent someone to say that you wanted Fourth Sister to work in the artificial flower workshop?" Xiao Yuan nodded and asked, "Is that alright?" Cheng San Niang smiled and said, "She's my own sister, what's there to say about whether it's alright or not? It's just that she can endure that kind of hardship." Xiao Yuan sighed slightly and said, "She chose her own path, and no one can help her." Gan's second sister-in-law was surprised that her young mistress wanted to work in the workshop. After asking a few questions, she learned that she was born out of wedlock, had no dowry, and did not want to become a concubine. She shook her head repeatedly, saying that her hard days were yet to come.

After a while, Master Gan and Madam Gan returned together. Cheng San Niang got up to greet them, and said in surprise, "You didn't leave together, but you came back together. What a coincidence!" It wasn't a coincidence at all. Master Gan was clever. He had specially sent his trusted servant to secretly communicate with Madam Gan's personal maid. As soon as Madam Gan got up, he left the brothel and took his second son to meet Madam Gan, saying that he had come specially to pick her up. This made Madam Gan very happy.

The elderly couple were in high spirits when they entered the house but couldn't find Gan Twelve. After searching around, they discovered him leading a group of children in a cricket fight. Cricket fighting was nothing unusual, at most it could be called a waste of time, but Gan Twelve was having a bad day. When his father came up behind him, he was bragging to Wu Ge about how he had bravely evaded the imperial examinations and lied to his family. His father heard every word, and his beard trembled with anger. He slapped Gan Twelve on the back of the head and cursed, "You unfilial son!"

Fearing he would upset the old man, Cheng Mutian quickly stepped forward to persuade him and helped him to sit down in the hall. Madam Gan was furious when she heard that Gan Twelve was staying in Lin'an to continue avoiding the imperial examinations and deceiving his parents. She was angry with Gan Twelve, but instead of scolding him, she called over Cheng San Niang and reprimanded her: "Twelve is playful and unambitious. You didn't help persuade him, but instead coaxed him to stay in Lin'an and not come home. What kind of daughter-in-law are you?" Qianqian heard her grandmother, whom she had only met a few times, scolding her dearest mother, and stepped forward to shoo Madam Gan away, saying: "Go away, this is our home."

Madam Gan was furious and said sternly, "You can't give birth to a son and you can't raise a daughter well, what use are you?" Cheng San Niang shielded Qianqian behind her and said meekly, "It's all my fault, Mother. Please calm down and don't let me upset you."

When Cheng Mutian heard that Madam Gan wanted to divorce Cheng San Niang, he was anxious and was about to get up. Xiao Yuan quickly pressed him down and quietly pointed towards the second sister-in-law of the Gan family.

Sure enough, the second sister-in-law of the Gan family stood up, walked to Madam Gan's side, handed her a cup of hot tea, and said with a smile, "Mother, do you think all the wives in heaven are as capable as you? I have been learning from you for so many years, and I have only learned the basics. In my opinion, if you take the twelfth daughter-in-law back to Quanzhou and let her stay by your side for a while, she will naturally become sensible."

These words were a mix of flattery and praise, without offending Cheng San Niang's feelings. Xiao Yuan secretly admired them. No wonder the two elders of the Gan family only took the second son's family with them when they went out; there was indeed a reason for it.

Madam Gan's expression softened, and she patted her second sister-in-law's hand, saying, "You're so thoughtful. It's indeed time to let them return to Quanzhou." Master Gan nodded in agreement, "I think that with Twelve like this, there's no hope for the imperial examinations. It's good that he comes back with us."

Master Gan was on good terms with the late Master Cheng and gave Cheng Mutian a lot of face, so he asked him what he thought. Cheng Mutian naturally could only nod. Xiao Yuan couldn't wait for Gan Twelve's family to take Qianqian away as far as possible. She smiled and said, "Although Third Madam is a daughter of the Cheng family, once she enters the Gan family, she is a member of the Gan family. Where she lives is naturally up to her parents-in-law. There's no place for us brothers and sisters-in-law to interfere. Besides, serving one's parents-in-law is a daughter-in-law's duty. It's her blessing to be able to serve her mother-in-law."

Hearing this, Madam Gan felt that Xiao Yuan was a kind and lovable person, so she poured out her grievances to her, saying, "Your sister-in-law is not bad, but she has not been able to give Twelve a son for many years, and she won't even allow him to take a concubine. It's really outrageous." Xiao Yuan didn't mention taking a concubine at all, and only said, "She works day and night in the bionic flower workshop without rest, so it's inevitable that childbirth will be difficult. Once we get to Quanzhou, with Madam Gan's help to take good care of her, it will be just around the corner for her to have a son."

Madam Gan was about to bring up the matter of concubines again when her second sister-in-law whispered in her ear, "This is also a woman who doesn't have any concubines in her household." Madam Gan was a shrewd old woman, and upon hearing this, she knew that this topic was not suitable to be discussed further. Fortunately, her son was about to return to her side, and whether he could take a few concubines was ultimately up to her as his mother.

Seeing the smile on her face, Gan's second sister-in-law whispered a few words in her ear. Madam Gan nodded slightly and asked Cheng San Niang, "Have you met your second sister-in-law's nephew? I think the boy is good. Qianqian is not young anymore. Let's arrange the marriage when we return to Quanzhou." Cheng San Niang could agree to anything, but her daughter was her bottom line. She quickly said, "Qianqian is only seven years old. There's no need to rush."

Madam Gan, unable to bear her disobeying her, changed her expression again: "It's just an engagement, we're not saying she has to marry into the family right now, what's the rush?" Of course, Cheng San Niang was in a panic. Although the second sister-in-law of the Gan family's nephew was good-looking, his family was penniless. If they were to get married, the second sister-in-law of the Gan family would probably have to help with the dowry. She had raised Qianqian with such care, how could she bear to let her go to a poor family to suffer? She shook her head like a rattle.

Madam Gan didn't take her opinion seriously at all. She helped her second sister-in-law up and said, "I'm tired. Second sister-in-law, help me inside to rest. When we get back to Quanzhou, I'll have your brother from your family invite a matchmaker to exchange the betrothal gifts."

Cheng San Niang watched them go in, and burst into tears. She went to plead with Master Gan, but poor Master Gan had no say in the matter. He sighed and followed Madam Gan inside. She wanted to find Gan Twelve, but Master Gan had ordered him locked up and forbade anyone to see him. If they were in Quanzhou, it would be someone else's territory, and Qianqian's marriage would have to be decided by her grandmother. Cheng San Niang was anxious and restless, pacing back and forth in a panic.

Seeing that her family's affairs were finally over, Xiao Yuan pulled Cheng Mutian aside and got up to leave. Cheng San Niang, as if grasping at a lifeline, tightly gripped her hand, refusing to let her go, and pleaded, "Sister-in-law, how about we betroth my Qianqian to Brother Chen? They've been childhood sweethearts and are cousins; it would be perfect for us to become even closer." Xiao Yuan forcefully pried her hand away and asked, "What's wrong with your second sister-in-law's nephew that you see him as such a monster?"

Cheng Mutian chimed in, "I think it's quite good. You're going back to Quanzhou anyway, so marrying your daughter to someone nearby would be wonderful, as you could see her all the time." Cheng Sanniang said anxiously, "His family is poor; how could they possibly support Qianqian?" Xiaoyuan retorted angrily, "You think his family is poor? I think your family is poor too! I've told you so many times that I don't agree to this marriage, so why are you so insistent on it?" Cheng Sanniang was stunned: "Sister-in-law, do you really think my family is poor? No wonder you only love Ba Ge and not our Qianqian."

Xiao Yuan knew it was pointless to argue with the Song people about the dangers of consanguineous marriage, so she could only say, "Say what you will." Cheng San Niang accused the couple of being materialistic and snobbish, but Cheng Mutian thought that being materialistic and snobbish was a virtue, saying, "Who said your sister-in-law loves Ba Ge? She just pities him because he doesn't have a birth mother. If he can't earn a good fortune when he grows up, he still won't be able to marry into our family."

Cheng San Niang had no time to dwell on whether her sister-in-law was biased. She stammered, "Then what about my Qianqian…?" Xiao Yuan, still too soft-hearted, couldn't help but remind her, "What is your husband for? Just a decoration? He has the guts to disobey his father's orders to take a concubine, but not the guts to stand up for his daughter?" Cheng San Niang murmured, "He's locked up…"

"Can you keep him locked up forever? He'll have to be released before going to Quanzhou. Handle the difficult matters to him. You're a woman, supporting the whole family. It's admirable, but don't you feel the hardship? Quickly shift the burden of earning money to him. Your priority is to recover and have a son, otherwise you'll suffer." Xiao Yuan lectured her, then, along with Cheng Mutian and the two children, turned and left. Reaching the door, she suddenly remembered that she had just refused Cheng San Niang, which inevitably caused resentment. Was it a good thing or a bad thing to have Cheng Si Niang work for her?

Seeing her slowing pace, Cheng Mutian chuckled and asked, "Are you worried that Third Sister will speak ill of you to Fourth Sister?" Xiaoyuan, embarrassed that he'd guessed her thoughts, pouted, "The children are here." Cheng Mutian called over Acai and instructed her to fetch Fourth Sister Cheng so they could go home together. Xiaoyuan said regretfully, "I was hoping to leave her here to train her a bit." Cheng Mutian picked up Ruiniang and said to her, "Your mother's been foolish. Third Aunt's bionic flower workshop can't be taken to Quanzhou. She'll still be the shareholder managing it. It's her own workshop; she can train Fourth Aunt however she wants."

Xiao Yuan glared at him, thinking to herself, "Just say what you want to say. Is it necessary to ridicule me in front of my daughter?"

Rui Niang thought exercise was something good, so she hugged Cheng Mutian's face and kissed him, saying softly, "Father, I want to exercise too." Cheng Mutian quickly said, "How can you go? Father can't bear to let you go..."

He acts all old-fashioned in front of others, with his wife by his side, but why does he change completely when it comes to his daughter? Xiao Yuan looked up in puzzlement and caught a glimpse of envy in Cheng Si Niang's eyes. She suppressed the urge to go forward and comfort her, pretending not to see it, and only chatted and laughed with her family of three. But her heart was full of bitterness. Some things, once broken, can never be recovered.

Chapter 200 Separating a Couple

On top of the cabinet, at the foot of the bed, in the drawers, in the schoolbag, in the books… Xiao Yuan stood in Chen Ge’s room, directing several maids and servants to rummage through the drawers and cabinets. Rui Niang tugged at her sleeve: “Mother, candy be hidden in books?” Xiao Yuan led her hand to look through the Book of Poetry and the Analects on the table, saying, “Who knows? Your second brother looks honest, but he’s just as cunning as your eldest brother.”

Sister-in-law Yu, accompanied by several servants, presented a large bag of candy to Xiaoyuan and asked, "Young Madam, what should we do with this candy? Should we give it to Brother Wu and Ruiniang?" Xiaoyuan smiled and said, "They have a daily allowance. If we give it to them, their teeth will get so bad that they'll turn into little fatties again."

She looked outside and saw Wu Ge in the courtyard, so she called him over and asked him to take the candy to the servants' courtyard and distribute it to the children who didn't usually get to eat candy.

When Rui Niang came out, she saw Fu Gui Niangzi lying in the courtyard sunbathing. She went over and petted her; the cat was plump and all fleshy. She then picked it up with difficulty and took it to run with Chen Ge. Cats are not obedient creatures. As soon as she put it down, it ran all over the yard. Rui Niang chased after it, panting, which was also a good workout for her.

Under Xiaoyuan's supervision, Chen Ge ran morning and evening, and was only allowed one piece of candy a day. After a few days, there were surprisingly good results; his originally round face began to show a more defined chin. Xiaoyuan teased him, "Looks like in a few days, our family will have another handsome young man." Chen Ge's personality was just like Cheng Mutian's; upon hearing this, his face immediately turned red, but he still clung to Xiaoyuan's side, refusing to leave. After lingering for a while, he asked, "Mom, is Third Aunt's family really moving to Quanzhou?"

Xiao Yuan glanced at him and said, "It's not moving away, it's moving back. Your third uncle is originally from Quanzhou; he's just staying in Lin'an." Chen Ge, unaware that Xiao Yuan had resolutely rejected Cheng San Niang's marriage proposal that day, boldly asked again, "Then Qianqian is going with us too? Can't we leave her behind?"

Upon hearing him mention this, Xiao Yuan's anger flared up, and she retorted, "If she doesn't go with her parents, what else can she do? Tell me, how do you plan to keep her here?" Chen Ge's face turned even redder, but he showed no sign of backing down, and whispered, "If Mother agrees, I can marry her."

“I disagree,” Xiaoyuan said harshly. “You and she are cousins. If you marry, who knows if you’ll have a mentally challenged child?” Chen Ge didn’t understand this explanation and argued, “There are many cousins in the world, but only a minority have children with mental disabilities. Besides, even if they aren’t cousins, there are children with intellectual disabilities. This has nothing to do with being cousins.” Xiaoyuan was furious. Why didn’t the academy teach them about probability? Did they have to take a risk for this “minority”? Actually, she had other reasons for refusing Chen Ge, but she didn’t want to appear “snobbish” in front of the children. She simply said, “Qianqian has never been to school, never learned to manage a household, never learned to do accounting. A girl like that entering our family would make us look down on her.” Chen Ge said, “My third aunt and uncle taught her to recognize a few characters. She’s not illiterate. She can embroider, she can…”

Xiao Yuan was so angry at being refuted by her repeatedly that she slammed her hand on the small table, finally scaring Chen Ge into shutting up. Lacking the ability to manage her son's affairs, she had no choice but to call Cheng Mutian over, rubbing her temples as she said, "Your son wants to marry Qianqian, but I can't persuade him. What should I do?"

Cheng Mutian looked at Chen Ge, whose expression was respectful yet whose eyes held an unyielding stubbornness, and seemed to see a reflection of himself from years ago. Over a decade ago, Master Cheng had refused to propose marriage to Xiao Yuan on his behalf, citing her illegitimate birth and lack of dowry. He, too, had bowed his head respectfully, yet vowed to marry no one but her. After several beatings and canings, Master Cheng was finally forced to relent and send a matchmaker to the He family. Although Xiao Yuan was illegitimate, she was literate and managed two shops successfully. Since bringing her dowry, even the picky Master Cheng had nothing to say. Qianqian was no match for her; she lacked both manners and poise. Although she was sensible, what good was being sensible in a large mansion? Cheng Mutian drifted from reminiscence to contemplation, from deep thought to reality, and finally asked, "What comes first in all things?"

Chen Ge bowed and replied, "Filial piety is the most important thing in all things." Cheng Mutian then asked, "You defied your parents' wishes and tried to force yourself to marry Qianqian. Isn't that unfilial?" Chen Ge dared not answer. If someone is considered an unfilial son, no matter what they do, they will be despised. Seeing Cheng Mutian bring up the word "unfilial," despair slowly rose in his heart. He bit his lower lip tightly, gave a stiff bow, and withdrew.

Cheng Mutian said to Xiaoyuan, "Why try to reason with him? You talk, he listens, it's that simple." Xiaoyuan was still frowning, "He's not like Brother Wu, who's easygoing and can let go of everything. We need to find a way to make him give up completely." Cheng Mutian said, "Qianqian is going to Quanzhou soon, a long way away. What can he do if he doesn't give up? He'll just be sad for a while. He's only eight years old this year, far from getting married. Aren't all these years enough for him to forget someone?" Xiaoyuan nodded and smiled, "I was in such a hurry that I forgot they were going to Quanzhou. Speaking of which, why does Brother Chen always think about Qianqian? Isn't it because there aren't any other girls his age around? Why don't we think of a way to let him meet a few more?"

The children of wealthy families are raised behind the second gate, so they can't be seen whenever they want. Cheng Mutian glanced at her and said, "They can only be seen when it's time to choose a wife." He was also worried that Chen Ge would continue to go astray, so he said, "He can't be seen, but you can. Why don't you get to know some of the ladies better and pick a good one for Chen Ge?" The deep courtyard houses have many inconveniences, so it's not as comfortable as living in a small family. Xiao Yuan sighed and said, "That's the only way."

Half a month later, Master Gan had already thoroughly explored the brothels behind Madam Gan's back, so he prepared to take Gan Twelve and his family back to Quanzhou. Gan Twelve quit his job at the toy store, and together with Cheng San Niang, they tidied up the house and found that their belongings were pitifully few, and almost everything could be packed up and taken away. The only things they were worried about were the three-courtyard house and the bionic flower workshop.

Still unwilling to give up, Cheng San Niang deliberately chose a day when Chen Ge was on holiday at home, under the pretext of discussing the bionic flower workshop with Xiao Yuan, and brought Qian Qian back to her parents' home. As soon as Xiao Yuan saw Qian Qian dressed up in colorful clothes, she knew what Cheng San Niang was up to. She exchanged a glance with Sister-in-law Yu, who immediately and quietly slipped out, sending the two young masters to play at the Jin family's house.

Having learned her lesson from Xiao Yuan last time, Cheng San Niang dared not mention Chen Ge rashly this time. Instead, she used Ruiniang, who was practicing calligraphy, as a pretext for small talk. She complimented, "Sister-in-law, you've taught Ruiniang well; these characters are written so elegantly." Xiao Yuan modestly replied, "She's just writing for fun. She'll be able to keep accounts in the future." Cheng San Niang was taken aback. "You want to teach her accounting? She doesn't need to manage a living like I do." Xiao Yuan laughed, "Do you think I manage the household with just my mouth? I have to know everything, both inside and outside the house, otherwise, people will take advantage of me." Cheng San Niang had originally intended to use Ruiniang to bring up Chen Ge, but she was taken aback by these words. She thought about her own education of Qianqian and sighed, "Ruiniang is truly working hard. Our Qianqian only learns embroidery and weaving every day, and she's already complaining of being tired all the time."

Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "Ruiniang doesn't have to work hard. As for needlework, I only ask that she can embroider a few flowers. As for weaving, there's no need for her to learn it. She'll be managing the household in the future, so learning those things is useless." She wasn't afraid of praise, only comparison. Cheng Sanniang felt a pang of jealousy and said, "Sister-in-law, you're mistaken. I learned needlework when I was at home, and after marrying into the Gan family, didn't I manage the household perfectly well?"

Xiao Yuan chuckled inwardly. Her small house had no fewer than ten servants, and all income and expenses were recorded in one book. Could that be called a housekeeper? She was used to a simple life, but the Gan family in Quanzhou was no less wealthy than the Cheng family. Once she entered a large family, she would realize how ridiculous her words were.

Seeing that Xiao Yuan was silent with her head down, Cheng San Niang assumed that she agreed with her words, so she continued to delve deeper into the topic: "Sons are not the same as daughters. If the daughter-in-law they marry in the future is not close to them, they will be very upset. Sister-in-law, don't you think that makes sense?"

Xiao Yuan saw through her gradual approach and desperately wanted to kick her out, but didn't want to cause a scene before she left, so she patiently nodded. Cheng San Niang was delighted and said, "Qianqian is your own niece, who is more considerate of you than her?"

What turned the usually tactful Cheng San Niang into such a clingy person? Was it the burden of life? Was it her deep love for her daughter? Xiao Yuan, in a daze, felt she didn't quite recognize the person in front of her, and uttered a sentence that stung Cheng San Niang's heart: "Of course there are people more considerate than her. My family has quite a few nieces, and my third brother will soon be returning to Lin'an after his term of office is over..."

To dissuade Cheng San Niang from giving up, Xiao Yuan deliberately feigned longing, gazing out the window at the several birdcages hanging under the covered walkway, housing several fat birds, which tempted the wealthy lady, who was even fatter than the birds... Cheng San Niang relentlessly nagged in her ear until the wealthy lady collapsed from exhaustion and Xiao Yuan's neck became stiff. Only then did she realize that she had no hope. So she stopped mentioning the bionic flower workshop, took Qian Qian's hand, and left resentfully.

Seeing that she was leaving, Rui Niang quickly pulled Xiao Yuan down onto the soft couch and massaged her neck with her soft little hands, pouting as she said, "If Third Aunt doesn't leave soon, Mother's neck will become crooked." This little one actually noticed something was up. Xiao Yuan asked in surprise, "How did you know that Mother was just being polite to your Third Aunt?" Rui Niang leaned down and pressed her little face against hers, saying, "Didn't Mother say that if someone doesn't respond after speaking to her for more than three sentences, there's no need to continue? She must not want to listen."

"Little rascal." Xiao Yuan hugged Rui Niang and kissed her, then told her about the grudges and entanglements between relatives, analyzed right and wrong, and laid the foundation for her future life in her husband's family. She secretly sighed that she was her own daughter after all, and there was nothing to be ashamed of. If it were Cheng Si Niang, how could she dare to say these things? She would be accused of being a gossipy woman who stirred up trouble if she was not careful.

Chapter 201 The Vegetable Seller, Su Niang