Запись о наслаждении

Глава 28

Seeing how hard she endured every day in front of her mother-in-law, Cailian felt sorry for her and said, "The day before, she was so affectionate towards the young mistress, but who knew that she would make things difficult for you after only a few days?" Xiaoyuan took out a handkerchief to wipe her sweat and smiled, "There must be a reason for this. Let's see." Cailian asked curiously, "Since the young mistress knows, why doesn't she send someone to find out?" Xiaoyuan picked up Wuge and lay down on the couch, saying, "Only those who have no place to live think about fighting all day long. I have a fat son, and my husband is obedient. All the big and small affairs of the household are in my trunk. I'm not afraid of anyone who comes."

Too lazy to waste her days playing games with a poor woman who was likely to remain an old maid for life, she took her son to visit Li Wuniang, who had returned to Lin'an for the New Year. In Li Wuniang's room, a pregnant concubine was holding a nursing baby, which made her look rather haggard. Xiao Yuan said apologetically, "Third Brother doesn't listen to me." Li Wuniang smiled, "I appreciate your kindness." She herself had no son, and was overjoyed to see Wu Ge, holding him tightly in her arms and refusing to put him down. She also ordered someone to fetch a beaded hat for him.

Xiao Yuan took the hat and saw that it was small, but made entirely of tiny pearls, with a bright red gemstone set in the center. She quickly declined, saying, "He's just a child, how can he wear such an expensive hat?" Li Wu Niang glanced at the child in the concubine's arms and said, "If Wu Ge can't wear it, are you going to give it to him?" The concubine had her head down, so Xiao Yuan couldn't see her expression. Xiao Yuan was afraid that these words would reach He Yao Hong's ears, making him dislike Li Wu Niang even more, so she had no choice but to accept the gorgeous hat and give the concubine's son a small gold lock instead.

Li Wuniang looked at her two concubines and sighed, "Every family has its own troubles. Your stepmother has already entered the family, so who is in charge now? Do you want me to stand up for you?" Xiaoyuan thanked her and said, "If it weren't for Third Sister-in-law on the day of the full moon celebration, I really don't know how I would have gotten through it. For now, I'm still in charge of the household. If something goes wrong one day, I'll have to ask you to step in and let me take advantage of your position."

Li Wuniang stroked Wu Ge's little face, "You have a son, don't be afraid." As she spoke, she thought of herself, and a few tears fell onto Wu Ge's face. She hurriedly reached out to wipe them away, but the more she wiped, the more tears fell. Xiao Yuan said fiercely, "Third Sister-in-law, after the New Year, I'll send you to Quanzhou." Li Wuniang smiled bitterly, "Silly sister, he's unwilling to do this. What if I stay in Quanzhou for three or five years?" Xiao Yuan had originally come out to avoid Qian Furen, but seeing Li Wuniang's plight made her feel even more distressed. She wanted to comfort her but didn't know where to start, so she could only say some nice things to ease her heart.

Life is full of disappointments, and Xiao Yuan sighed for others all the way, but she did not expect that someone would also want to make her unhappy. As soon as she entered the house, a maid came to report: "Madam is going to hold a tea competition in three days and asked the young mistress to send out invitations."

Chapter Eighty Tea Competition

Hearing that Madam Qian was going to have a tea competition, he was very happy that she had finally found something to do and was no longer just focusing on herself. So he asked the maid which guests Madam Qian wanted to invite.

The maid replied, "Madam said that some of her relatives are coming, and she asked the young mistress to arrange the other guests."

Is this some kind of tea-tasting contest between the people of Quanzhou and Lin'an? Xiao Yuan chuckled and went back to her room to instruct Cai Lian, "Since Madam only invited relatives, let's invite our relatives too: Eldest Sister, Third Sister-in-law, and Second Aunt and her eldest daughter-in-law, Fang Shiniang." Cai Lian hesitated and asked, "Should we invite the Madam and Young Madam from the other side as well?" Xiao Yuan replied, "They are all close relatives. Although there are disagreements, they haven't reached the point of never speaking to each other again. If we invite the other two families but not them, what kind of situation would that be?"

Just then, word came from Madam Qian that the expenses for the tea-tasting party would be covered by her dowry money, without needing to use the public accounts. The maids all praised Madam Qian for being truly generous with money. The Qian family had always been extravagant with their money, and Xiao Yuan assumed that Madam Qian's willingness to use her dowry money was simply a family tradition, so she didn't pay much attention and agreed with Madam Qian, letting her spend the money as she pleased.

Three days later, several relatives gathered at the Cheng family home to participate in a tea competition. The so-called tea competition was a contest to see who was better at making tea. When Sister Cheng saw that Madam Qian had not yet arrived, she became worried: "Tea competitions originated in Fujian. They have lived in Quanzhou for a long time and must be experts in this art. Could it be that we will be outdone today?"

Before Xiaoyuan could answer, Madam Qian led two young ladies into the hall and said with a smile, "My cousin's daughter and my aunt's granddaughter have come to Lin'an to play. They both said that sitting idly is boring and they want to have a tea competition. As both the host and the elder, I have no choice but to contribute some of my dowry money to hold a tea competition and invite all the relatives to come and have some fun."

These words were spoken very politely, but Xiao Yuan felt that something was wrong. Before she could react, she heard Aunt Cheng speak up: "Are you still the daughter-in-law in charge? You're being too stingy. You have to pay for the tea competition yourself."

Xiao Yuan inwardly mocked herself, "So this is what they were waiting for. I guess I've been living a comfortable life for too long; my reactions have become sluggish." Fortunately, Madam Qian's demand for housekeeping power was subtle, while her refusal was overt. She quickly stepped forward to support her stepmother, smiling warmly, "Second Aunt, you've misunderstood me. On the very first day Madam entered the household, I offered her the account books. She trusts me and wants me to continue managing them." Madam Qian's face froze. This daughter-in-law was indeed not considerate. Luckily, she had listened to her mother and called her cousin's daughter. It was just a pity that her cousin had found out and also sent his daughter, making what should have been an easy matter somewhat tricky.

Aunt Cheng had been outmaneuvered by Xiao Yuan time and time again, so she turned her attention to Madam Qian. She thought that Madam Qian was not young and was probably destined to be childless, so it would be only natural to find an opportunity to adopt one of her youngest sons to Madam Qian. Once she had made up her mind, she waited until Madam Qian became more and more friendly, then took two jade hairpins from her hair and gave them to her two nieces as a greeting gift.

Xiao Yuan nudged Sister Cheng with her elbow, and together they each took a few small accessories from their clothes and presented them to her. She then asked the two young ladies how they were addressed. The daughter of Madam Qian's cousin, who bore a striking resemblance to Madam Qian, was a very pretty young woman. She curtsied to Xiao Yuan and said, "Thank you for your kindness, sister. I am the thirteenth child in my family, and my sisters call me Thirteenth Sister." Madam Qian's cousin's niece, however, did not step forward. Instead, she stood beside Madam Qian and said, "Thank you for your courtesy, young mistress. My surname is Ji, and I am known as Sixth Sister Ji."

One called her "elder sister," the other "young mistress." What kind of address was this? Xiao Yuan's heart sank. But her smile grew even wider. She first said to Ji Liu Niang, "We're all close relatives. Calling me 'young mistress' is too formal. If Liu Niang doesn't mind, please call me sister-in-law." Li Wu Niang's purpose in coming today was to support her sister-in-law in front of her stepmother, so she wrote her displeasure on her face: "I've stayed in Quanzhou for a few days. I've never seen anyone call their cousin's wife 'elder sister.'"

The women sitting in the room were all concubines and maids from the household. Seeing this scene, they all knew that this tea-tasting competition was merely a pretext set up by the stepmother to place concubines in her daughter-in-law's room. Perhaps she even wanted to go further and replace her. In an instant, everyone started plotting their own schemes. Second Aunt Cheng, single-mindedly trying to cultivate a relationship with Madam Qian, naturally wanted to help; Fang Shiniang was indifferent and only interested in watching the spectacle; and the eldest sister-in-law's business was tied to Cheng Mutian's, so she wouldn't allow outsiders to interfere. She was determined that as soon as the stepmother spoke, she would first beat these two shameless, indirect relatives to a pulp.

Xiao Yuan sighed inwardly. She and her stepmother had a long road ahead of them. If they were to fall out now, she, as the daughter-in-law, would be the one to suffer. Thinking this, she tried to smooth things over: "I suppose it's Thirteenth Sister who's just arrived and doesn't quite understand the relationships between relatives yet. What's the big deal if she mispronounced something? Let's hurry up and have our tea ceremony. Why don't we invite Thirteenth Sister to go first?"

Madam Qian shook her head. She pushed Ji Liu Niang forward, saying, "Thirteenth Sister is still young. Let Sixth Sister do it."

Qian Shisan Niang lowered her eyes and silently retreated to the side. Little Round Eyes, unaware of the hint of resentment in her eyes, chuckled inwardly. Who was really fighting whom here?

Ji Liuniang, seemingly well-versed in tea ceremony, took out a Jianzhou kiln teacup with a smug look on her face, followed by a tea cake, saying, "This is a top-quality 'competitive tea' specially prepared for tea competitions." She placed the tea into a tea grinder, finely grinding it into powder, then added the finely ground tea powder to the Jianzhou kiln, adding boiling water to make a paste. Only after preparing the paste did she begin to brew the tea. Her skill was indeed superb; she held the teapot high in one hand, skillfully adding water, while in the other hand, she whisked the tea soup, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly, without any panic. Gradually, a bright white tea soup floated to the surface of the teacup, and Madam Qian praised first, "Excellent tea."

Just now, when Ji Liu Niang took out the tea cake, there were whispers among the people. Now, hearing Madam Qian praise the tea, they couldn't help but burst into laughter. Madam Qian, puzzled, said, "Our Liu Niang's skills are more than enough to be called 'Samadhi Hands.' Could it be that you have someone even more skilled?"

Sister Cheng was the most blunt of them all: "Villagers, oh villagers, we haven't been drinking this kind of tea for a long time. These days, flower tea is all the rage."

Aunt Cheng defended Ji Liu Niang, saying, "Perhaps flower tea hasn't spread to Quanzhou yet. I think the ancient method of brewing tea is the most interesting. Erlang's room is in need of such a virtuous person who is good at preparing tea."

Madam Qian thought to herself, "I haven't even spoken yet, and someone has already come to share the burden. It saves me a lot of effort." So she went along with it and said, "I treat Erlang like my own son, so of course I'm willing to give him up. I just don't know if my daughter-in-law will mind."

A gift from an elder is something one should not refuse, so how could one dare to complain? The mother-in-law is indeed more difficult to deal with than the father-in-law. Xiao Yuan couldn't handle this situation and could only look to Li Wu Niang. Li Wu Niang herself had several concubines, so she couldn't do anything about her husband. What scruples would she have when dealing with someone else's mother-in-law? She straightened her clothes and got up to take her leave: "The Maritime Trade Office sent a letter; I'll go back and take a look."

Madam Qian hurriedly asked, "Your family has dealings with the Maritime Trade Office?" Xiao Yuan finally managed to chime in with a smile, "My third brother works for the Maritime Trade Office in Quanzhou."

Sister Cheng wasn't confused and quickly followed up: "Our Cheng family's shipping business relies entirely on Fourth Sister's third brother's help. Her third brother is extremely impatient with his brother-in-law taking concubines. Be careful not to anger him, or he might tax all our seafood." Although Sister Cheng was eager to protect her family's interests, she didn't really know the details. Madam Qian herself was childless, so no matter how much wealth the Cheng family had, it was none of her concern. As for the shipping business, it was even less of a concern for her.

However, Madam Qian was somewhat worried that openly placing a concubine in Xiaoyuan's room would affect the Cheng family's shipping business and anger Master Cheng, so she pondered how to take back her words. Seeing that she was a little embarrassed, Ji Liuniang quickly said, "My aunt was joking. My family is a prominent family in Quanzhou. Why would we become someone's concubine?" Qian Shisanniang muttered something beside Xiaoyuan, her voice just loud enough for her to hear: "You came here to be the principal wife, so naturally you won't become someone's concubine."

Xiao Yuan pretended not to hear and pulled Li Wu Niang aside, saying, "Third Sister-in-law, it's just a misunderstanding. Please sit down quickly, and I'll have someone bring some osmanthus and honey to make tea."

Aunt Cheng's family also made their living from maritime trade, but her sons were all good-for-nothings. They only received a few shares of the family business and were not valued as much as the eldest son's family. Fearing that Madam Qian would give up, she quickly said a few polite words with a deeper meaning: "Sister-in-law, I like these two children very much. Please let them stay for a few more days. I have some toys with me. I'll have someone bring them over for them to play with another day."

Madam Qian naturally understood her meaning, but she didn't know why Madam Qian was so determined to help her, so she just smiled faintly and remained noncommittal. Seeing that Madam Qian was not easily won over, Li Wuniang pulled Xiao Yuan's sleeve outside and whispered, "Your stepmother is probably even more difficult to deal with than your stepmother. Cheng Erlang is also a well-known filial son, so you'd better be careful."

Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "As long as Erlang doesn't betray me, what's there to fear if a few more stepmothers come?" Li Wuniang was somewhat dazed upon hearing such confident words. She was called several times by Xiao Yuan before she came to her senses. Together they went back into the hall to drink the tea that had been arguing endlessly even before they had tasted it.

The servants brought out honey osmanthus tea. Madam Qian took a sip and found it indeed tastier than tea with ginger, salt, osmanthus, and pepper. She then asked who had created the tea. Li Wuniang proudly pointed to her sister-in-law and said, "The ladies of Lin'an Prefecture eat whatever they like. Just look at Fourth Sister." Fang Shiniang, who hadn't spoken until now, nodded in agreement: "This tea, paired with the cakes from her shop, is even more delicious."

Xiao Yuan hurriedly sent someone to the shop to fetch various cakes and newly developed crispy biscuits. Madam Qian looked at her and smiled slightly: "Daughter-in-law, there isn't any tea this delicious in Quanzhou yet. Why don't you teach Sixth Sister how to make it and have her take this recipe back with her?"

"Keeping just one won't do; it would be more interesting to keep them all," Xiao Yuan readily agreed. "Mother and I are thinking the same thing. I was just thinking the same thing. We want to keep Thirteenth Sister and Sixth Sister for a few days."

Chapter 81 The Bottom Line Must Not Be Touched

After the tea-tasting party ended, both Qian Shisan Niang and Ji Liu Niang stayed behind. Madam Qian then asked Xiao Yuan to arrange accommodations for Ji Liu Niang, adding, "Shisan Niang is from my clan; she can stay with me." Why mention Ji Liu Niang when there were clearly two people? Xiao Yuan quickly understood. The only remaining empty courtyard in the house was right next to theirs; Madam Qian was giving her niece a chance to get closer to Erlang. Qian Shisan Niang opened her mouth, but didn't know how to object, looking at Madam Qian with pitiful eyes. Xiao Yuan wouldn't waste her "good intentions" in keeping Qian Shisan Niang around, and smiled as she advised Madam Qian, "Mother, I know you and Shisan Niang are close, and you should stay together to have more intimate conversations. But Father also lives in this courtyard; it might be inconvenient for him to come and go."

Qian Shisan Niang glanced at her gratefully and said to Madam Qian, "Aunt, sister-in-law is right. My reputation is important. I should stay with Liu Niang." Master Cheng was a cripple, so Madam Qian had nothing to worry about. But since Qian Shisan Niang had brought up her own reputation, she had no choice but to let her be.

Xiao Yuan stood up and said, "Please, ladies, sit here with Madam. I'll come back to fetch you after I've tidied up your lodgings." Hearing this, Madam Qian assumed she was going to tidy up the empty courtyard, nodded in satisfaction, and quickly let her go back. She had underestimated this daughter-in-law. As soon as Xiao Yuan returned to her room, she ordered someone to fetch Cheng San Niang, taking her hand and saying, "San Niang, have you heard about the tea-tasting competition?"

If her sister-in-law were a relative of the Qian family, the Cheng family would be ruled by a stepmother, and there would be no place for Cheng San Niang to stay. Therefore, she was even more anxious than Xiao Yuan: "I've heard about this. What should we do? Sister-in-law, you must think of a solution quickly."

Xiao Yuan patted her hand and said, "Those two younger sisters want to stay at home. We have an empty courtyard..." Cheng San Niang was more astute than anyone else, and before she could finish speaking, she said, "They won't be staying long, why bother tidying up? Besides, the New Year is coming soon, and you have plenty of things to do, sister-in-law. The small courtyard next door where Xiao Si Niang used to live is empty, so why not let them stay there? I will definitely take good care of them." After saying that, she added, "Sister-in-law, please don't worry."

Xiao Yuan thanked her repeatedly, then personally selected a few reliable people to accompany her to tidy the courtyard, smiling and sighing, "There are still more people helping me." Cai Lian led the stewardesses in, smiling, "As for the cause and effect, the young mistress is usually kind to everyone, so naturally they all come to help when things are in trouble." Xiao Yuan sat down at the table, spread out the account book, and said to the stewardesses, "I called you here today because two female guests will be staying for a few days. It's been hard on everyone, so I'm giving each of you an extra half-month's salary. You stewardesses will get an extra month's salary." The stewardesses were all delighted to hear that they would receive extra money. Aunt Qin smiled and said, "We will definitely keep a close eye on them for the young mistress and not give them any loopholes."

Xiao Yuan held all the indentures of these stewardesses, so she was very at ease. She said, "They are guests and should be treated with courtesy. However, since they are staying in our house, they still have to abide by the rules. Otherwise, they will be a laughing stock. Tell me, what are the rules of our house?"

Aunt Qin was the first to speak: "The produce in the garden is all for sale. If they want to do what Aunt Ding did back then, I'm afraid it won't work." Ah Zhu, who now manages the servants in each courtyard, said: "Men and women should be kept separate. I'll have two old women guard the gates in the inner courtyard. They should only go through the side passages when entering and exiting."

Xiao Yuan nodded in satisfaction. After all, they were her servants since childhood, and they understood her intentions perfectly. The remaining housekeepers also understood and unanimously agreed that without the young mistress's nameplate, not a single needle would be provided for any household expenses. Besides her husband and son, Xiao Yuan's greatest pride in her life was this family of loyal servants. She smiled and told A Cai to take them to the accounts.

Fang received the money. He then ordered someone to invite Madam Sun. He bowed solemnly and said, "Sister-in-law Yu is honest and kind, but I'm afraid she can't guard against villains. I'll entrust Brother Wu to Madam Sun." Madam Sun stepped aside and bowed in return, also solemnly saying, "Thank you for taking me in, young mistress. I will do my best."

Ayun laughed when she saw them speaking in such a refined manner. "I've never seen the young mistress so formidable before. With the stewardesses receiving such orders, not to mention those two female guests, even the madam herself will probably have to endure some humiliation."

Xiao Yuan scoffed inwardly. I genuinely respected her as a stepmother. Yet she blatantly crossed my line. Remember, a needle hidden in cotton will still sting if poked.

After she finished arranging everything, it was already dinnertime. Knowing it was almost the 25th of the twelfth lunar month, she couldn't be lazy. She hurriedly ate a few bites of rice, ordered someone to light lamps, do the accounts, and assign tasks. Cheng Mutian, who had been out socializing all day, returned with a slight smell of alcohol. He desperately wanted to hold his wife and go to bed early, but saw her sitting upright at the table, one hand holding a pen, the other supporting her chin, chewing on the pen nib with relish. Slightly drunk, he became a little bolder and sat down on the other side of the eight-immortal table. He asked with a smile, "Wife, is the pen nib salty or bland? Would you like some salt?"

Several maids covered their mouths and giggled. They didn't even bring her the hangover soup, hurriedly clearing the table and leaving. Xiao Yuan adored the drunken Cheng Erlang and wanted to coax him into saying sweet words. Unexpectedly, Cheng Mutian wasn't deeply drunk and wasn't bold enough. He only dared to hug her and kiss her. Xiao Yuan let him kiss her a few times, then reminded him, "When you come back, be careful on the way. Don't mistake someone for someone else and kiss someone else on the lips."

Cheng Mutian didn't like hearing such frivolous words. He put the pen that had fallen on the table back into her hand and said, "You've ruined my reputation." Xiao Yuan couldn't help but laugh: "You're a grown man, what reputation do you mean? I'm worried about those two delicate young ladies living in the backyard."

Cheng Mutian was taken aback and quickly pointed outside the door, asking, "Which one is next door?" Xiaoyuan was pleased with his reaction and smiled, "No, she's the neighbor of Third Sister." Cheng Mutian breathed a slight sigh of relief, but was still puzzled, "Whose young lady is she, and why does she want to live in our house?" Xiaoyuan threw her pen to the ground and gritted her teeth, saying, "They are my stepmother's two nieces. Today, in front of many relatives, she said she wanted to be your concubine."

Cheng Mutian jumped up in fright, sobering up completely: "You didn't agree, did you?" Xiaoyuan shook her head and said coldly, "From now on, I'm going to do a few things that will attract attention, so that this stepmother won't keep trying to take advantage of my husband." Cheng Mutian found these words unpleasant and frowned, "Eldest sister, second aunt, who hasn't thought about putting concubines in our house? How come you can tolerate that? Why can't you tolerate our stepmother?"

Xiao Yuan's eyes were filled with tears: "Eldest sister and second aunt are just relatives after all. No matter which one of them sends someone, I can refuse openly or secretly. But she is my mother-in-law. Let alone the saying that I can't refuse a gift from an elder, even if she insists on giving someone the title of concubine, what can I do? If that's all she plans to do, then it's still too lenient. In our Great Song Dynasty, there is a law about 'divorcing a wife'."

The term "divorced wife" refers to a woman who is divorced because her mother-in-law is unhappy with her son's wife. It means that if a mother-in-law is dissatisfied with her daughter-in-law, she can disregard her son's wishes and forcibly divorce her. Although Madam Qian was not Cheng Mutian's biological mother, the Song Dynasty did not stipulate a difference in power between stepmothers and biological mothers. Cheng Mutian's lips twitched twice. "Father is over there."

Xiao Yuan understood his meaning perfectly: he was telling her to relax, that Master Cheng wouldn't let Madam Qian act recklessly. Seeing that Cheng Mutian was still stuck in the idea of being a "filial son," she wanted to rouse him from his reverie. So she turned around, took out two invitations, and threw them in front of Cheng Mutian. Cheng Mutian picked them up and looked at them. One was Xiao Yuan's current dowry list, and the other was Madam Qian's dowry list. He was a smart man, and he immediately understood that Master Cheng loved money. If Madam Qian sent a daughter-in-law with an even more generous dowry, Master Cheng might change his mind.

He gripped the form tightly to keep his hands from shaking, and forced a smile, saying, "We have Brother Wu, Father will have to consider his grandson." Xiao Yuan wiped away her tears, "Even if it's another daughter-in-law, it's still his grandson."

Her logic was so airtight that Cheng Mutian couldn't find a way out no matter how hard he tried. Suddenly, he hugged her and burst into tears, saying, "It's my fault for being useless. I can't even protect my own wife." Xiao Yuan had indeed deliberately made the situation sound so serious so that he wouldn't blame her for fighting back against her stepmother. However, she hadn't expected Cheng Mutian's reaction to be so strong. She quickly patted his back and said, "Erlang, you're confused. I still have a third brother who works at the Maritime Trade Office."

Cheng Mutian immediately stopped crying, glaring at him and saying, "Are you teasing me on purpose?"

Cheng Erlang remained stubborn, and this time it was Xiao Yuan's turn to shed tears. She covered her face and walked out, saying, "I'm taking my son back to my parents' home now, so he won't be bullied at your house all the time."

Upon seeing his wife cry, Cheng Mutian panicked, wiping away her tears and blocking the door. "I was worried people would say you're disrespectful to your stepmother and that you'd be criticized." Xiao Yuan's lips curled slightly: "Really just for me?" Afraid she would cry again, Cheng Mutian nodded repeatedly. Xiao Yuan smiled and kissed him: "Is your wife such a stupid person? She just wants to stop her stepmother from sending any more concubines into our room. As long as she doesn't cross my line, even if she hits me, scolds me, or makes me kneel on broken porcelain, I won't say a word against it."

Cheng Mutian's lips curled up again: "You're so impulsive. It's one thing to hit me, but with your physique, how many blows can you take? If it really comes to that, secretly send someone to call me."

Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "What's the use of calling you here? Do you dare to say no to your stepmother?" Cheng Mutian reached out and wiped away her tears: "I'll take it for you."

Hearing this, Xiao Yuan's tears flowed again, this time out of gratitude. Cheng Mutian hurriedly wiped away her tears, taking the opportunity to pinch her cheek: "Tell me honestly, did you already plan everything? Were you afraid I'd scold you, so you used those hurtful words to test me?" Xiao Yuan was quite embarrassed, only lowering her head and twisting his wide belt. Cheng Mutian brought his mouth close to her ear, "What are you trying to do, pulling on my belt?"

"Oh dear, you're being indecent again." Xiao Yuan playfully punched his waist twice. Cheng Mutian grabbed her hand and pressed her down onto the couch: "You dare to test your husband? See how I punish you." "This servant has done wrong and is willing to be punished." As Xiao Yuan spoke, she used her free hand to pull off his belt. Cheng Mutian had never seen his wife so proactive before. He was both surprised and delighted. Just as he was about to punish her for being disobedient, there was a knock on the door: "Young Madam, there's a commotion in Third Mistress's courtyard."

Chapter 82 Population Porridge

Just as Mu Tian was at a crucial moment, he was abruptly interrupted, which greatly annoyed him. He shouted towards the door, "What is it?" The messenger replied, "The two young ladies who came to visit us are arguing." Cheng Mu Tian was about to get up when Xiao Yuan put her arm around his waist and asked the person outside the door, "What is Third Lady doing?" The person outside the door replied, "Third Lady said that it's not good for her to interfere when relatives are arguing, so she'll just let them be."

Xiao Yuan smiled, pursing her lips: "Third Madam is absolutely right. It's not appropriate for relatives to quarrel. Let's just have their little kitchen prepare some midnight snacks. If the two young ladies get tired of arguing, bring them a bowl of food." The messenger outside responded and left. Even Cheng Mutian couldn't help but laugh: "That's exactly right." Taking advantage of his momentary lapse in attention, Xiao Yuan flipped over and escaped punishment, asking with a smile: "Aren't you afraid of being unfilial this time?" Cheng Mutian was displeased with her challenging his authority and pressed her down again: "It's their turn to be filial to their stepmother." After several rounds of this, the husband finally prevailed and punished his wife properly.

The next morning, the young couple took Wu Ge to pay their respects. Unsurprisingly, they saw the two who had quarreled the night before in the hall. After they finished their greetings, Madam Qian spoke first: "My two nieces are such a worry. They started arguing as soon as they moved in together. Daughter-in-law, you should separate them."

It turns out that last night's argument had a deeper meaning. It seems that Ji Liu Niang started it first, with the aim of getting that empty courtyard. Cheng Mutian frowned inadvertently, suddenly realizing that his wife's worries were not unfounded. Xiao Yuan was as obedient as ever in front of her stepmother: "It was my oversight. I'll have someone clean up that empty courtyard and let Shisan Niang move there."

Why is it Thirteen Sister and not Sixth Sister Ji? Madam Qian was so angry that her teeth itched. But when it came to the relationship between them, it was indeed Thirteen Sister who should live in the main courtyard. She couldn't say a word to refute it.

Fearing that her aunt might change her mind, Qian Shisan Niang thanked Xiao Yuan before she could come up with a roundabout solution. She then immediately took her personal maid and went downstairs to pack her clothes, which made Madam Qian so angry that she almost fell over.

Master Cheng already knew about yesterday's tea-tasting party. He was originally going to blame Madam Qian for disregarding He Yaohong's feelings and forcibly putting a concubine into Cheng Mutian's room. However, Madam Qian said, "Perhaps Erlang himself wants to take one, but he is just hesitant to ask because of his wife. Why don't we give it a try? My two nieces are from wealthy families. If we bring one of them in, won't our family have more income?" Master Cheng was itching to try the idea of "more income." Today, he just watched the show in the hall, playing with his grandson.

Xiao Yuan hadn't expected anything from this father-in-law, but since he relied on his third brother, and he didn't even say a polite word, she felt a surge of anger. She ordered the wet nurse to take Wu Ge away, saying, "My third sister-in-law is coming to see her nephew later, so please take Wu Ge back first."

Master Cheng was extremely reluctant, but Xiao Yuan was being used as a shield by He Yaohong's wife, whom he couldn't afford to offend. So he could only look at Cheng Mutian. However, his dutiful son was too shocked to notice that he was going to live next to a strange young woman, so he didn't pay attention to his gaze. He looked around for a long time, but when no one paid any attention to him, he began to regret offending his daughter-in-law.

Xiao Yuan picked up her son and left. Reaching the courtyard of the third courtyard of their residence, she suddenly saw Qian Shisan Niang's figure sway at the entrance between the third and fourth courtyards. "So, she's already out seducing people?" she thought. She gently nudged her husband, Cheng Mutian, who was brooding over the fourth courtyard. Suddenly bumped into, he snapped, "I work hard every day outside. And I can't even have a baby when I get home!" He was angry because he didn't want to take a concubine. Xiao Yuan was overjoyed. She covered her face with her son's swaddling clothes and chuckled to herself.

Cheng Mutian's voice was extremely loud. Qian Shisan Niang, hiding behind the courtyard wall, was secretly delighted. It turned out the young couple's feelings weren't very deep. No wonder her aunt was making her move. She thought she'd seized a golden opportunity. Lifting her skirt, she was about to step through the moon gate to appease the furious Cheng Erlang. But she had only taken one step when the gatekeeper's wife shouted to stop her. A maidservant came running back, announcing that Ji Liu Niang had invited them. With such a commotion, how could Cheng Mutian not hear it? But he didn't even glance at her, only glaring at Xiao Yuan, "What's wrong with your family? Can't you lock this gate?"

Xiao Yuan said in a quarrelsome tone, "All you know is to lock it. If this door isn't open, how can Thirteen Sister get in and out?" Cheng Mutian glared fiercely at the damned door in the fourth courtyard, "Lock it up. Everyone, use the side passage."

Cheng Erlang was furious. The consequences would be severe. Xiao Yuan suppressed a laugh, but feigned reluctance. She told A Xiu to fetch the largest lock in the house and securely lock the gate between the third and fourth courtyards. A Zhu locked the gate herself, saying with a smile, "Young Madam, you're overthinking it. Qian Shisan Niang is constantly held back by Ji Liu Niang, and Ji Liu Niang is being closely watched by our Third Madam. She simply can't get away to step through this courtyard gate."

Xiao Yuan smiled and sighed, "Er Lang insists on doing it this way. What can I do? When his stubbornness kicks in, I have no choice but to give in to him."

Cheng Mutian had been worried that sealing the door would lead to his wife being scolded by her stepmother. Unexpectedly, Madam Qian not only didn't blame Xiaoyuan, but praised her for her thoughtfulness and rewarded her with several pieces of her dowry jewelry. Seeing Xiaoyuan return with a beaming smile, carrying the jewelry, he felt relieved: "It seems my stepmother isn't the type to make things difficult for her daughter-in-law." Xiaoyuan rolled her eyes at him: "Dream on! It was all my doing. The fourth courtyard is where Ji Liuniang lives. Take a look again?"

Cheng Mutian didn't like hearing such words. His thick eyebrows furrowed into a knot. This time, Xiao Yuan wasn't going to coax him. She took the key to the courtyard gate and threatened him fiercely, "If you give me that attitude again, I'll open the gate and let that little vixen in to bite you."

Cheng Mutian, still relying on his wife's protection, softened his tone for the first time and smiled, saying, "The world is truly strange. Since neither of us wants a concubine, what's the point of the two of you fighting and bickering?"

"Of course they started fighting amongst themselves. Who cares about them? This year, we have a new member in our family, Xiao Wu. We're going to have someone to eat porridge on the 25th of the twelfth lunar month. I'm very busy right now and don't have time to deal with them." Xiao Yuan urged him to go out and finish his business business so he could have some free time to celebrate the festival at home.

The twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month was highly valued by the Song people. Xiao Yuan sent a message to Tian Erdi's son, Tian Da, asking him to take pine branches with him when he transported off-season vegetables down the mountain. She also sent a message to the steward of another village, asking him to carry beans and straw in preparation for burning in a brazier on the twenty-fifth.

"Five days before spring, after the first watch, fires are lit at every door, making it as bright as day. Large households burn firewood, its branches thicker than bean stalks, while smaller households burn raw firewood with leaves. Blue smoke fills the city, the sky half-white, startled birds cry and take flight. Children and grandchildren sit around, chickens and dogs bustle about, neighbors laugh and chatter from afar. The imperial palace's aura has only been two months old, the year's gloom still lingers, the wind fierce. To welcome the bright sunshine and a good spring, the braziers must be lit to provide warmth." Xiao Yuan, holding Wu Ge, sat in the courtyard, basking in the rare winter sun, reciting a poem written by a contemporary. Hong Sao, the head cook of the main kitchen, came over and smiled, "Young Madam, Wu Ge is only four months old, can he understand?"

Xiao Yuan looked gently at her son in the swaddling clothes: "I think so. The porridge is ready, give our Wu-ge a bowl too." Aunt Hong reported, "Young Madam, I came to ask about this. The two young ladies, Qian and Ji, have been staying at our house for three to five days. Are they eating their porridge here too?" Xiao Yuan was taken aback: "I haven't paid attention to them these past few days and completely forgot about it. Judging from your tone, no one from the Qian family has come to take them home for the New Year?"

Sister-in-law Zhu said, "I think they're determined to stay here and have a bowl of our family's porridge." A-Zhu, carrying Xi-ge, also entered the courtyard and chimed in, "Don't even think about it. You can't just eat porridge like that! If you're not a member of the Cheng family, you're not allowed to touch the rim of the bowl." A-Zhu's temperament was very similar to A-Yun's. She stepped forward, took Xi-ge, and smiled, "Sister Xiu is right. Our cats and dogs can all eat it, but they're the only ones who can't."

Aunt Zhu glanced at Xiao Yuan's expression and tentatively asked, "Young Madam, should I not serve them any porridge?" A Zhu shooed her away, saying, "You shouldn't even be asking the Young Madam such a question. Hurry back and serve the porridge, and add plenty of sugar." Aunt Zhu glanced at Xiao Yuan's expression again, and, having gotten confirmation, breathed a sigh of relief: "Now I'm relieved. I'll have them grab a broom and chase them away."

"What, they actually went to the kitchen to beg?" Xiao Yuan was silent for a long time before finally speaking. Aunt Zhu nodded and said, "I sent a little maid to stand at the door for a while, but I didn't dare let them in." Xiao Yuan praised, "You're very dutiful. You must be tired from cooking porridge today. A-Yun, go and get that jade-inlaid glass pendant." A-Yun did as she was told and brought the pendant, stuffing it into Aunt Zhu's hand. Aunt Zhu, receiving the reward, thought even faster and suggested, "These two young ladies are so pitiful, having left their hometown. Why don't I send two people to the Qian family and bring them two bowls of their special porridge?"

Cailian led a group of people in, dragging in a large pine tree. She laughed, "Good idea! Remember to pick bowls with the family name printed on the bottom. If they don't have any, have one printed on the spot." Aunt Zhu also laughed, "Miss Cailian is truly skilled." Then she asked Xiaoyuan if she had any other instructions. Xiaoyuan stood up, looking only at the pine tree, and smiled, "You've all said what I need to say, what more can I say?"

Sister-in-law Zhu knew that this was praise, not condemnation, so she went out with a smile and sent two old women to the Qian family to fetch porridge. Madam Xin naturally knew what the two young ladies were up to and was unwilling to give it to them. The old women had been instructed to come, so they did not argue with her at all. They went to a porcelain shop, bought two porcelain bowls with the character "Qian" printed on them, and then went back to the Cheng family's kitchen to scoop out two bowls of porridge and gave them to Qian and Ji.

Qian Shisan Niang and Ji Liu Niang were lingering in Cheng San Niang's room, watching her eat her porridge, when suddenly the old woman brought them two bowls as well. Overjoyed, they picked up their bowls and started drinking. After all three bowls were empty, they looked at each other and noticed that only Cheng San Niang's bowl had the character "Cheng" printed on it, while the other two were covered in coins. Ji Liu Niang felt she had been cheated and, without saying a word, went to find Madam Qian.

Knowing she wouldn't get anywhere with Madam Qian, Qian Shisan Niang thought to herself, "Anyway, I don't have such lofty ambitions to become the principal wife. Becoming a concubine and escaping the wrath of my stepmother is a good outcome. Last time I tried to get closer to Cheng Erlang, but I was locked out. I might as well try to get closer to the principal wife." Having made up her mind to please Xiao Yuan, she went back to her room, tucked the three pieces of jewelry she could present into her sleeve, and turned into the alley leading to the third courtyard.

Chapter 83 Principled Sympathy

Thirteen Sister moved smoothly through the alley, but just as she was about to reach the small side gate of the courtyard halfway down, she was stopped by two old women who said they needed to check if the young mistress was free first. Thirteen Sister understood the principle that wealthy families should inform their masters first, so she handed over a few coins and waited in the alley.

An old woman ran off quickly to deliver the message, showing five or six copper coins in her palm to Xiao Yuan: "The young lady surnamed Qian gave us this money, saying she wants to see the young mistress." Everyone in the courtyard laughed so hard they swayed from side to side. A Zhu patted Xi Ge on the shoulder and laughed, "Our Xi Ge has more than this in his purse, how dare she take it out."