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Cheng San Niang, preoccupied with her own thoughts, remained noncommittal, but pulled him into the room with Cai Lian to greet her parents, elder brother, sister-in-law, elder sister, and brother-in-law. Cai Lian put down the gifts they had brought, then took out a few trinkets and books, smiling, "These are specially brought by San Niang for 'testing' her son." Cheng San Niang smiled shyly, "They're nothing special. The trinkets were made by my husband, and the books were bought by him when my father-in-law came last time."

It seems that she already knew about Gan Shier's decision to abandon the exam and become a craftsman, and judging from her tone, she didn't seem unwilling. Xiao Yuan smiled at her and thanked her and her husband for adding items to Wu Ge's "Zhou Shi" (a traditional Chinese exam preparation service).

Incense and candles were already lit in the hall. Around the brocade mat were displayed fruits and snacks, gold and silver treasures and toys, writing implements, books and Buddhist and Taoist scriptures, scales, rulers, knives and scissors, colorful satin and flowers, official coins, needlework and thread, and daily necessities. Madam Sun added the books and trinkets brought by Cheng San Niang and asked Xiao Yuan softly if the "test of the child" should begin immediately. Xiao Yuan got up to ask Master Cheng for permission. Master Cheng sighed and said, "I was so concerned about pretending to be poor that I didn't expect that Wu Ge's first birthday was so close. Such a grand ceremony can only be held in such a place and we can't have a large banquet for the guests."

It was his idea to pretend to be poor that came up. Xiao Yuan didn't know how to comfort him, so she pointed to the brocade mat to distract him and said with a smile, "Brother Wu is a boy, not a girl. Why did you put flowers and needles on it?" Everyone laughed. Sun was about to pick it out, but Gan Shier, being a child at heart, took the initiative and picked Brother Wu up first, deliberately coaxing him to grab the sewing box. Master Cheng and Cheng Mutian didn't even look at it, just glared at him.

Fortunately, Wu-ge was quite capable; he reached out and grabbed a book first, then a small jade boat, which made Master Cheng laugh heartily, praising his grandson for his future success. Xiao-yuan immediately recognized the origin of the jade boat and wanted to snatch it away, but she was too embarrassed in front of so many people. She secretly pinched Cheng Mu-tian and said, "Ever since you used this jade boat to give my aunt's indenture, I've kept it as a treasure. Why are you taking it out for the children to play with?"

Cheng Mutian's eyes were glistening with tears as he said in a hoarse voice, "That was left to me by my mother." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuan quickly stepped forward to hug Wu Ge and accompanied him to offer incense to his late mother-in-law before turning back to teach Wu Ge and Madam Qian to kowtow. Madam Qian, seeing that they had left her aside and were going to kowtow to her mother's memorial tablet first, looked rather displeased, but helplessly, as a second wife could not surpass the first wife, she had no choice but to suppress her resentment.

Including the child, there were only ten close relatives in total, so only one table was set up. Xiao Yuan said apologetically, "The government got the news from somewhere that our family is pretending to be poor, so they send people to guard the market every day so that we dare not buy good meat. We can only come up with a compromise and buy some ready-made meat from a well-known market."

He instructed Aunt Ding and Sister Liu to serve the dishes: Guangjia Soup from Guanxiangkou, Song Wusao Fish Soup from outside Qiantangmen, mutton rice from Zhongwaqian, and Crystal Red and White Liquor from Zao'er Shuirenfangkou. Adding to this were a few side dishes stir-fried by Aunt Ding and longevity noodles from Sister Liu. Though not lavish, it was acceptable compared to their meals these past few days. In the middle of the table was a large cake that Axiu had secretly brought back. Written on it in red buttercream was the message: "Happy Birthday, Brother Wu." Xiao Yuan wanted to put a red candle on it, but Cheng Mutian questioned, "It's not a wedding. Why light a red candle?" She had to give up.

After finishing this meager feast, Gan Twelve and Cheng San Niang sighed. Master Cheng, Jin Jiu Shao, and the others, however, exclaimed with satisfaction. They all said, "So we can buy ready-made food! Those officials probably don't have the time to keep an eye on every single stall. We'll buy from them every day from now on." Xiao Yuan sighed inwardly. Back home, they were all picky eaters. After a few days of hardship, even these roadside snacks tasted delicious.

Master Cheng felt he had mistreated his grandson. He took him out to the market; Madam Qian saw mutton and fish on the table, and despite still being on a fast, ate an extra bowl of rice with the meat and fish. She then took Xiao Si Niang downstairs for a walk to digest; Sister Cheng and the others were all close to Xiao Yuan, so they were reluctant to leave. They all gathered in her room to drink tea and eat snacks.

Xiao Yuan ordered several plates of dried meat to be brought out. She smiled and said, "This is Wei Da Dao's cooked meat from Mao'er Bridge. It's very famous. It's a pity it's made from pork. I was afraid my father would scold me, so I didn't bring it out. If you don't mind, please try some." Before she finished speaking, Sister Cheng and Jin Jiu Shao had already started eating. Gan Shier swallowed hard for a while, then couldn't resist picking up a piece of meat and holding it to Cheng San Niang's lips: "Wife, I've had pork at 'Da Wan Tou' before. It's very tender. You should try a bite."

Cheng Mutian coughed heavily twice. Gan Shier, however, was not afraid of him. He continued to feed the meat to Cheng Sanniang. Turning his head, he said with a grin, "Brother, why don't you feed your sister-in-law a bite too?" Cheng Mutian's face instantly turned as red as Cheng Sanniang's. He snatched the plate from his hand and said, "I see you've eaten quite a lot at the table. Don't waste my family's food."

Seeing the two of them bickering like children, Xiao Yuan didn't try to stop them. She just smiled and shook her head, then pulled Cheng San Niang into the corridor and whispered, "Are you still trying to buy an official position for Gan Shier?" Cheng San Niang lowered her eyes and said, "I know everything. It turns out that every day the master says he's going to find classmates to study with, but actually he's going to work at your toy shop." Xiao Yuan took her hand apologetically and said, "I wanted to tell you earlier, but I thought it would be better if he told you himself." Then she advised, "There are 365 professions, and every profession can produce an expert. He might be better at making toys than studying. Maybe one day he'll make a name for himself and open his own big shop."

Cheng San Niang nodded and said, "I understand this principle. Our family and my eldest sister's family are both in business, and we haven't seen anything wrong with them. I'm just worried about how to explain it to my father-in-law." Xiao Yuan glanced into the room and said, "There are still more than two years left, what's the rush? Besides, Gan Shier will protect you from everything, why do you have to worry so much?"

Cheng San Niang spent half a day twisting her skirt sash and picking at the window lattice, finally unable to hold back any longer and revealing her idea. It turned out that, to avoid putting Gan Shier in a difficult position in the future, she still wanted to buy him an official position, but she was struggling to raise the money. "Sister-in-law," she said, "at the rate the man is like this, he definitely won't pass the exam in three years. If his father-in-law finds out that he not only doesn't study but also runs off to do frivolous things, he'll surely scold him. It would be better if I bought him an official position, so at least he'd be a scholar with an official rank. Even if he secretly does a few frivolous things, people will only say he's indulging in pleasure."

Xiao Yuan had initially thought he was solely focused on securing an official position, but it turned out he was thinking of Gan Twelve's best interests. She smiled and said, "That's how the world is. What you say makes sense. My elder brother does nothing at home, yet he's bought official positions twice. Having the title of an official household makes things easier and exempts him from hard labor. But you don't need to worry about this. The Gan family isn't poor. When Gan Twelve fails the imperial examinations for several years in a row, his father will naturally be anxious to buy him an official position. You won't need to spend a single penny."

Cheng San Niang said sadly, "My husband and his brothers, the four older brothers all got their official positions with the money I used as dowry. My parents-in-law are willing to help us out, but they are afraid that if they give us money, the four older brothers will also make a fuss about wanting it."

It's understandable that he doesn't take money from his family and buys his official position through his own abilities, but why is he always eyeing his wife's dowry money? Xiao Yuan sighed and asked, "What did Gan Twelve say?" Cheng San Niang smiled and said, "My husband said he would earn the money, but I don't want him to be too tired, so I want to contribute as well."

Xiao Yuan comforted her, "You don't know, I've been on tenterhooks, afraid you'd be angry if you knew the scholar had become a craftsman in my shop. Now that I see you understand him, I'm relieved." Cheng San Niang's dowry money was lent to Gan Shier by her husband, so she knew how much wealth Gan Shier had. She suggested, "The Gan family is a prominent family in Quanzhou. You don't need to buy a high-ranking official position to support your family. Why not just buy a ninth-rank official position? It can be done for six thousand strings of cash."

Cheng counted the money in his hand and smiled broadly: "Sister-in-law is the best at making decisions, let's go with Digonglang."

Xiao Yuan thought to herself that although most of the six thousand strings of cash came from her dowry, it was originally Gan Shier who "helped" her out. The couple supported each other, so it wasn't a matter of arguing about the bride's dowry, but rather a good thing.

Cheng San Niang, relieved, became happy and pointed to several vendors outside the courtyard wall, holding boxes and hawking their wares, asking, "Sister-in-law, what are they doing?" Cheng Da Jie came out of the house and smiled, "You and I were just as rustic when we first arrived. They're selling candy and mosquito repellent." Cheng San Niang said, "Oh, so they're small-time merchants." Cheng Da Jie still smiled, "What kind of merchants are they? They just go to the workshop early in the morning to pick up goods, and then return the money they've earned in the evening, taking a commission from it."

Cheng San Niang then pointed to two porters carrying covered wooden buckets and asked them a question. However, this Sister Cheng didn't know either, so she turned to ask Xiao Yuan. Xiao Yuan glanced at them and smiled, "Those are the ones who carry hot water to the entrance of the bathhouse to sell. That reminds me—" She went inside and pulled Cheng Mutian aside, saying, "Er Lang, didn't you complain about not being able to take a good bath? Go to the bathhouse; it's spacious there."

Chapter 126 The Perfume Shop (Part 1)

Cheng Mutian was used to bathing in a large tub on the carved blue brick floor of his house. The first time he used the small tub, he spilled water all over the floor. The bathwater dripped down the wooden planks and onto the first floor, making the servants living downstairs grumble: "The monks said it would be sunny this morning, so why is it raining?"

When he heard Xiao Yuan mention the bathhouse, he paused for a moment and asked, "Is it the place with the ladle and copper kettle hanging at the entrance? That's a place for poor people. I heard that dozens or even hundreds of people are crammed into one big pool to soak in. How can you get clean? In fact, you get dirtier the more you wash."

Jin Jiushao, who was overhearing the couple's conversation, laughed and said, "What bathhouse? That's too vulgar. It's called a 'perfume shop.' If you think it's too crowded, let's go together and find a small pool with fewer people to bathe in, how about that?" Cheng Mutian asked, "How do you know the ins and outs of this place?" Seeing Xiao Yuan standing nearby, Jin Jiushao didn't dare to tell the truth and only said, "I know a few perfume shop owners in the business world. They've invited me to bathe in their shops a few times, so we've become somewhat familiar with each other."

Cheng Mutian was worried about which way the perfume shop's main gate faced when he heard that he had been there. He was overjoyed and hurriedly told Xiaoyuan to prepare clean clothes and shoes for him, and asked Jin Jiushao to take him to take a bath. Gan Shier was a lively person and had never been to the perfume shop before. Seeing that they were all going, he was itching to go. He slipped out to find Cheng Sanniang and said, "Madam, how about I go with my brother and brother-in-law to see the perfume shop?" This was not a big deal, so how could Cheng Sanniang refuse? She immediately ordered Gan Li to go back and pack his clean clothes in a bundle and send them over, and also gave him about a hundred copper coins as expenses.

Because they were carrying their clothes, and Jin Jiushao insisted on not bringing a servant, they hired a small cart by the roadside and climbed in together. Gan Shier pretended to sniff Cheng Mutian and Jin Jiushao's collars and laughed, "You really do smell of sweat. Haven't you washed for days?" Jin Jiushao didn't care much about his mockery, and pulled at his collar with a smile, "What's this about 'a bath when you're born, a bath when you die'? Have you ever heard of that? In the sweltering heat, they just wipe themselves with a damp cloth. Compared to them, we've been washing quite frequently."

Cheng Mutian chimed in, "I once accompanied my father to moor our boat under the city of Yanzhou. The women in the teahouses there were dressed in fine clothes, with silver hairpins and flowers in their hair, and their doors were gilded and elegant. They would take their nightgowns, spread them on small tables, and catch lice in their mouths, almost without stopping. While catching lice, they would chat and laugh with others, not feeling ashamed at all. Those who watched were used to it."

Jin Jiu patted Twelve on the shoulder and laughed: "It's clear that there are many people who dislike bathing, so there's no basis for them to laugh at us for not bathing."

The three chatted and laughed as they walked to the entrance of an alley called Yutang Alley, but the car couldn't go in, so they had to carry their clothes and walk. As soon as they got out of the car, they saw a gaunt old man by the roadside ahead, with a fortune-telling sign behind him and a broken bowl in front of him. Gan Shier, being kind-hearted, quickly took out some money from his sleeve and said, "He's a beggar, give him two." Cheng Mutian and Jin Jiushao, who never paid any attention to such people, were about to walk to the roadside to wait when a large group of ragged teenagers rushed out of the alley and charged straight at them. The three dodged in time, the money Gan Shier had just taken out scattered on the ground, and the bundles in Cheng Mutian and Jin Jiushao's arms were also knocked over.

Cheng Mu frowned as he picked up the clothes, but he didn't know how to repackage them, so he just haphazardly packed one up and regretted, "This lowly person just doesn't know the rules. I should have known better than to come." Jin Jiushao also didn't know how to pack, and was complaining about his bad luck when he heard this, but he laughed and said, "Don't speak too soon. You'll know when we get to the perfume shop."

Gan Shier, seeing that he was being kept in suspense, didn't even bother to pick up the coins. He took them all from the old beggar and hurriedly urged him to lead the way, wanting to see the interesting perfume shop as soon as possible.

Jin Jiu Shao took the lead, guiding him into the alley. It was lined with perfume shops. He pointed to the largest one, saying, "I'm a regular here. Their business is the best." Cheng Mutian and Gan Shier looked up. They saw a copper kettle hanging above the door, with a sign that read "Zhang Xiao Niang." Along the wall were vendors selling health-preserving pills and seasonal flowers.

Jin Jiu pulled them along and continued walking forward. He pointed out, "The men's bath is on the left, the women's bath is on the right, and the hot water bath in the middle is for foreigners who aren't used to cold water baths. We'll take our clothes with us later, and the waiter will store them. Any expenses incurred inside will be charged to us first, and we can pay after we're done bathing."

Cheng Mutian was puzzled. Going inside was just for bathing, so why was there a charge? Gan Shier thought to himself, "It must be for the bath." He then asked Jin Jiushao, "Brother-in-law, how much does it cost to bathe here? It's too expensive; I can't afford it." The waiter who came out to greet him, upon hearing that he couldn't afford it, was about to turn away when he suddenly recognized Jin Jiushao as a regular customer. He quickly interjected with a smile, "Cheap! Cheap! Only twenty coins for a bath." Jin Jiushao pulled out a fan from his sleeve, pretending to be elegant, and tapped the waiter's head, saying, "This is my brother-in-law. Don't look down on me." The waiter smiled obsequiously, "Not at all! Not at all! I was just joking. How could I let you young masters go to that crowded and noisy bathhouse? Please come with me to this small bathhouse. Tea and snacks are all provided, and there are even people to serve you—fifty coins for a bath."

Fifty coins weren't even worth a single thread of Cheng Mutian's clothes. Even Gan Shier, a laborer earning his living, didn't think it was too expensive. So he happily followed the waiter towards...

They arrived early, and there was no one by the pool yet. Cheng Mutian hurriedly said, "We've reserved this pool. Don't let anyone else in." For some reason, the waiter was reluctant and hesitated for a while before finally answering out of respect for Jin Jiu Shao, "It costs one string of cash to reserve the entire pool." Cheng Mutian nodded without hesitation, and the waiter took out a small booklet bound with coarse paper, drew a circle on it, added a vertical line in the middle to record the bill, and then called someone to help them take off their clothes and carry them out for safekeeping.

Cheng Mutian slid into the cold water pool first and laughed, "I've never been here before, and I didn't know you could book the whole place. This is quite interesting. Swimming in the pool is much better than soaking in a bathtub." Jin Jiushao smiled mysteriously, "The fun of the perfume shop isn't in this."

Gan Shier jumped into the water, splashed a few times, and said, "The water is so shallow, how can I swim? It's better to have a wife serving me at home." Cheng Mutian thought his words were too nice and splashed a handful of water on his face. Jin Jiu Shao laughed and praised, "Shier knows how to enjoy life. But what's so interesting about a wife serving you? Let's wait for your brother-in-law to call someone to scrub your back."

So that's how it works. When I get home, I'll coax my wife to come and scrub my back too. I just don't know if she'll agree. Cheng Mutian was pondering this when he suddenly saw two women dressed as village women walk in through the door, each carrying a box and heading this way. He was so frightened that he quickly shrank into the water, leaving only his head sticking out, and shouted, "Jiulang, quickly tell them that we've come to the wrong place. The women's bath is on the other side."

Gan Shier followed suit and hid in the water. He wasn't afraid. He looked at the two women carefully and said, "They look like flower sellers at the door." Jin Jiushao said in surprise, "You're quite observant. They are indeed here to sell fresh flowers and bath powder." Gan Shier laughed and said, "I also make a living with my skills now. When I see them making a living outside, I can't help but take a second look."

As they spoke, the two women carrying the basin approached. Jin Jiu Shao hid in the water, only his head showing, and asked Gan Shi Er and Cheng Mu Tian if they wanted to buy anything. Cheng Mu Tian had initially guessed that these were the women he had called to scrub his back, but seeing that they didn't seem frivolous, he relaxed, assuming it was just the way things were. However, the shallow water couldn't hide his naked body at all. He was only focused on getting closer to the bottom of the pool so as not to reveal his nakedness, so he didn't bother choosing anything.

Gan Shier was the bolder one. He and Jin Jiu Shao each picked out a box of soapy water made from a mixture of beans and herbs by the pond. Seeing Cheng Mutian hiding behind them, too afraid to approach, they picked out a box for him as well. After they finished buying, the waiter who had led them in reappeared, and as usual, took out his coarse paper booklet and wrote down the price of the soapy water.

Gan Shier suddenly realized, "So they're from this perfume shop." The waiter shook his head, "There's a famine in the countryside, and they couldn't stand the hunger, so they came to the city to make a living. Our manager is kind-hearted and allowed them to sell small items at the entrance and by the bathhouse." Jin Jiushao laughed at him, "What do you mean by being kind-hearted? If they sell something for ten coins, you'll take five, and after deducting the cost, the profit probably won't even be enough to feed them." The waiter chuckled, "We also need to make a living." Gan Shier looked the two women over more closely and noticed they were wearing straw sandals. His heart softened, and he beckoned them closer, buying them a few bunches of flower petals and a dish of crystal soap.

After Cheng Mutian watched them leave, he emerged from the water, sat on the steps by the pool, let out a long sigh, and asked Jin Jiushao, "Has no more women come in?" Jin Jiushao smiled but did not answer. He picked up a piece of crystal soap and handed it to him, saying, "This is a chilled cake made from boiled soapberry kernels. Although it's a bit inappropriate to eat it at this time of year, you should still try it." As he spoke, he placed a dish of sugar water on the edge of the pool, gesturing for him to dip it in the sugar water.

Gan Shier took the soapy water but didn't know how to apply it to his body. He asked Jin Jiushao, "At home, I always use a soap ball. How do I use this watery stuff?" Jin Jiushao smiled and said, "Don't worry, the person who will apply the soapy water for you will be here soon."

Before he could finish speaking, three more women appeared at the door. Cheng Mutian was startled again, dropped the half-bar of crystal soap in his hand, and familiarly sank into the water, clinging tightly to the bottom. Gan Shier squatted in the water and took a look. Although their clothes were neater than the two who had carried the box earlier, they were clearly from respectable families. He turned to comfort Cheng Mutian and said, "Brother, I'm afraid they're just selling small things. Their lives are hard. I'll buy some more. Please bear with it."

He was also careless; the three women weren't even carrying a box, so where would they get something to sell? He saw them walk to the edge of the pond, curtsy, and then directly pick flower petals and scatter them into the water. Gan Shier, caught off guard, had a handful of petals scattered all over his head and face. His heart pounded, and he hurriedly asked Jin Jiushao what he was doing. But Jin Jiushao kept him in suspense, sitting steadily by the pond with his legs crossed, refusing to answer.

Chapter 127 Perfume Shop (Part 2)

Mu Tian thought to himself, "These are probably the back-rubbing women that Jin Jiu Shao mentioned. How annoying!" He glanced at them and saw that the three women were dressed neatly, with no seductive look on their faces. They didn't even have any powder on their faces; they were all bare-faced. They didn't look like the kind of people who would rub men's backs.

Jin Jiushao was very kind. Before he could ask, he took the initiative to answer and explain: "They are girls from good families, not prostitutes or brothels. Like the two who were carrying the box earlier, they are also refugees from the countryside who came to the city. You should take pity on them because they can't fill their stomachs. Ask them to rub your back and loosen your muscles so you can give them some money."

Cheng Mutian, who was never one to show pity, refused to listen and remained motionless in the water. Gan Shier, however, upon hearing of their poverty, withdrew the leg that had already stepped onto the edge of the pool. Jin Jiu Shao thoroughly enjoyed the scene, sitting upright on the steps in the water, letting a woman named Chunhua lather him with soapy water while he chatted with her, asking how many people were in her family and whether her parents were still alive.

Seeing his extremely serious demeanor and the fact that he did not take the opportunity to make any moves, and that the woman behind him rubbing his back was also calm and proper, Gan Shier whispered to Cheng Mutian, "Brother, is it really just a back rub? Shake your head repeatedly as you try to get away?" Cheng Mutian was pondering how to escape.

Gan Shier thought to himself, "They're refugees. They can't earn money if they don't scrub people's backs. I'll just take pity on them." With that thought, he left Cheng Mutian behind, climbed the steps by the water, sat down like Jin Jiushao, and called Xia Ju to help him lather with soapy water.

The last one, named Ye, saw that her two older sisters had work to do, but she was left with her hands hanging limply. She became anxious and pleaded softly with Cheng Mutian in the water, "Young sir, please have pity on us. We'll help you wash these dishes so you can have a meal." Upon hearing this, Cheng Mutian had an idea. He asked her, "How much do you get paid for each wash?" Qiu Ye replied, "The customer pays 150 coins, the shopkeeper takes 130, and I get 20 coins."

Cheng Mutian said to Jin Jiushao and Gan Shier, "No wonder the waiter wasn't too keen on me booking the whole place earlier; it turns out this is how we make money." Then he turned to Qiu Ye and said, "I'll give you two hundred coins; why don't you go and ask the waiter to bring my clothes in?"

This customer doesn't want me to scrub his back. The time saved can be used for the next business, and I can even get seventy coins for free. Where else can you find such a good deal? Qiu Ye secretly calculated for a moment and felt it was a good deal. She smiled and said, "I'll have to trouble you, young sir, to cover for me by saying that I've already scrubbed your back." Cheng Mutian replied, "Of course." Qiu Ye then went to call the waiter to bring her clothes and to put the bill on the tab.

Gan Shier laughed and said, "Brother, this is a proper back massage, not some shady business, why are you afraid?" The little hand on his back suddenly paused, but he didn't notice and continued to laugh at Cheng Mutian.

Over at Jin Jiu Shao's side, Chun Hua was rubbing his back with her hands. She rubbed and rubbed, until she reached his lower body. Gan Shi Er only saw their serious expressions, but Cheng Mu Tian, who was lying in the pool, saw everything clearly. He blushed crimson with embarrassment. When the waiter brought him clothes, he told Chun Hua and Xia Ju to turn their backs, dried themselves with a towel, quickly put on his clothes, and fled. Seeing that Jin Jiu Shao and Gan Shi Er were still soaking in the pool, the waiter didn't ask him for money and let him go without paying.

Cheng Mutian left the perfume shop and ran home. Just as he was about to go inside to calm himself, he suddenly heard a heart-wrenching scream coming from Jin Jiu Shao's building. Startled, he collapsed onto a chair by the door. Xiao Yuan came in from outside and explained, "Sixth Sister Ji is giving birth. I just asked my elder sister to send someone to fetch Jin Jiu Shao, but she wouldn't allow it. Luckily you're back." Cheng Mutian still remembered Jin Jiu Shao's voluptuous hands, but unwilling to discuss other men bathing in front of his wife, he vaguely replied, "Only I came back. They're still bathing."

Xiao Yuan saw that his face was flushed and he was covered in sweat. She quickly helped him lie down on the couch and wrung out a hot towel to wipe his face. She asked, "Didn't you just take a bath? Why are you covered in sweat again?" Cheng Mutian replied breathlessly, "I ran back." Xiao Yuan asked in surprise, "Didn't you bring any money? Why didn't you hire a sedan chair?"

"I was in such a hurry I forgot." Cheng Mutian reached into his clothes. "Oh dear!" he exclaimed. "I forgot to take my clothes. My purse must be in there too." Xiao Yuan comforted him, "It's alright. Jin Jiushao and Gan Shier are still there. They'll definitely bring it back for you." She then asked, "But why were you in such a hurry? You just took a bath. It's all for nothing."

Cheng Mutian's face flushed even more. He squeezed her hand and said, "Wife, I haven't washed yet. Tell the maids to prepare a basin of water. Would you like to scrub my back?" Xiao Yuan asked in surprise, "You've been gone for so long, why haven't you washed?" Cheng Mutian honestly replied, "They wanted to scrub my back, but I didn't want to." Because he always disliked strangers getting close, Xiao Yuan didn't think anything of it. She assumed "they" meant "them," and just teased him with some words about being too shy. She turned around and went to call the maids to boil water.

Once the water was warm, Cailian led two maids to bring it up and pour it into the copper bath tub. Xiaoyuan tested the water temperature with her hand and then sent them downstairs. She personally carried a clean little stool into the tub to help Cheng Mutian bathe.

Cheng Mutian took off his clothes and sat on a small bench, letting Xiao Yuan remove his headscarf, wash his hair, and scrub his back. He laughed and said, "We all take cold showers, but you're different. You insist on heating the water before you shower, just like a foreigner." Xiao Yuan carefully combed his hair and asked, "Does that perfume shop also have hot tubs like those used by foreigners?" Cheng Mutian said, "Not only do they have tubs for foreigners, but they also have women's baths." Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "Then I want to go take a bath too. After living such comfortable lives for so long, I'm not used to using this little basin anymore."

Cheng Mutian, ignoring that she couldn't see him with his back turned, darkened his face and said, "This is against the rules. Only poor women who show their faces in public go to those pools to wash." Xiao Yuan patted his smooth back and scolded, "Am I destined to stay here washing in a small basin? Why don't you help me scrub my back like this another day?" Hearing this last sentence, Cheng Mutian was pleased rather than angry, and was about to answer "okay" when suddenly another scream came from outside. He quickly covered his ears and asked, "Why is she screaming like that?" Xiao Yuan sighed and said, "Ji Liu Niang's belly is big, and she can't go down three flights of stairs to use the outhouse, so she put a chamber pot in the room. The seventh concubine, who lives with her, complained about the smell and started swearing. Ji Liu Niang isn't one to let herself be insulted, so the two of them argued. I don't know who pushed whom first, but Ji Liu Niang fell to the ground and went into labor immediately. She's not even full term yet, and we don't know if it's a good or bad pregnancy. Eldest Sister is so anxious she's jumping up and down, but she refuses to go and ask Jin Jiu Shao to come home."

Cheng Mutian disagreed, saying, "He can't help us even if he comes home. Besides, he's just a concubine, and any son he has will be born out of wedlock." His mindset was deeply ingrained, and Xiao Yuan didn't argue with him. After helping him scrub his back and bathe, she brought him clean clothes and helped him change.

A series of thumping sounds came from the stairs. Ayun, outside the door, reported, "Young Madam, someone from the 'Zhang Xiaoniang' perfume shop has come. They say that Young Master Jin and Young Master Gan took a bath and had their backs scrubbed but didn't pay. They've been detained and they want us to bring 2,500 coins to ransom them."

Cheng Mutian was taken aback and hurriedly pushed open the door to ask, "They didn't bring any money? My money bag was left there, why didn't they take it first?" Ayun shook her head and said she didn't know. Xiaoyuan followed and said, "Two thousand five hundred coins, not two thousand five hundred strings of cash. They must really not have the money to pay. It's not that the perfume shop is extorting us. Let's take the money first to redeem them."

Ayun responded and went downstairs to ask Sister Cheng for money. Since her family hadn't brought any servants, she sent Cheng Fu with the money to pick them up.

Xiao Yuan had never been to a perfume shop and was unaware of the prices, but Cheng Mutian was puzzled: although 2,500 coins was not much, the price of renting out the whole place was 750 coins, plus the cost of soap water, flower petals, crystal soap and back scrubbing, the total was only 1,300 coins, so why was there an extra 1,200 coins?

Meanwhile, Cheng Fu went to the water shop to redeem Cheng Mutian and retrieved his clothes. He squeezed them and angrily asked the waiter, "Our young master said he left his money pouch in these clothes, but it's not here." The waiter pointed to Jin Jiushao and Gan Shier and laughed, "You three young masters must have encountered a 'money-hunting girl' on the road, and your money pouches were cut off."

Cheng Fu opened his clothes and saw a money pouch with a hole in the bottom tied to his belt. It was Cheng Mutian's money pouch. Looking at the expressions of Jin Jiushao and Gan Shier, he knew it was true. He quickly comforted them, saying, "This 'money pouch' is used to cut off people's clothes, pouches and jewelry in the streets and alleys. Young masters, you usually have servants attending to you when you go out. How would you know to prepare this?"

Jin Jiushao, being wealthy, was quite concerned, but Gan Shier's few coins were hard-earned through his own labor. He lamented, "I finally managed to save up a single coin, and it was stolen without my noticing. It must have been those boys who bumped into us in the alley who cut it off." He sighed and wanted to go find those "looters" to settle accounts, but Cheng Fu and Xiao Er persuaded him otherwise, saying that those people had no fixed abode and the government couldn't find them. So he gave up, borrowed some money from Cheng Fu, hired a sedan chair to go back to see Cheng Sanniang, and gave her the few fruits that the perfume shop had given him.

When Jin Jiu Shao returned home, he was also quite shaken by Ji Liu Niang's terrible experience. Shaking, he leaned against the wall to go to Sister Cheng's room and asked, "Didn't you say she was still a month or so away from giving birth? How come she's already in labor?" Sister Cheng pounded the table angrily and said, "Isn't it all because of your seventh concubine? Why did she have to push her? That's why she started bleeding early." Jin Jiu Shao's two previous sons had died young, and he cherished the one in Ji Liu Niang's belly. Hearing this, he also became angry. He first sent someone to call a slave trader to sell the troublesome seventh concubine off by the feet, and then returned to his room to wait for news with Sister Cheng.

Chapter 128 The Perfume Shop (Part 2)

Before the details about Sixth Sister's situation could be confirmed, the perfume shop staff arrived at the courtyard gate and placed a deposit for a back-rubbing girl named Chunhua. They were there to collect the full payment. After the maidservant delivered the message, Sister Cheng frowned and scolded Jin Jiushao, "What time is it? You still have the mind to buy a concubine?" Jin Jiushao was also annoyed by Sixth Sister's wailing and socks, so he casually waved his hand and ordered the maidservant to cancel Chunhua's marriage.

The perfume shop people came to collect the money with high hopes, but when they heard that he didn't want it anymore, they refused to return the deposit. Chunhua's wish to become a concubine was dashed, and she was unwilling to give up. A group of people blocked the courtyard gate and started shouting.

Madam Qian's room was upstairs. Their noise gave her a headache, and she asked in annoyance, "Where is the young mistress? Why isn't she doing anything about it?"

How could the young mistress meddle in her relatives' affairs? Little Copper Coin didn't dare to speak out, only saying, "I heard that the young mistress's third brother has finished his term and returned home. She and the young master took Wu-ge to a banquet." Madam Qian became interested and propped herself up on the couch, asking, "Is it the one from the Maritime Trade Office?" Hearing Little Copper Coin's affirmative answer, she suddenly felt better and wanted to manage the household affairs, so she pointed to the window and asked who was making a fuss downstairs.

Little Copper Coin knew exactly what she was up to, and secretly felt sorry for Little Round. She replied, "Young Master Jin ordered a back-rubbing girl from a perfume shop, but for some reason he didn't want her anymore. The perfume shop refused to refund the deposit, so they started arguing."

Madam Qian's heart skipped a beat, and she asked again, "I remember that Erlang went to the perfume shop with Jin Jiushao. Did he ask someone to scrub his back? You should go and ask." Xiao Tongqian received the instruction and went downstairs to ask the perfume shop staff. The waiter who brought the person was the one who had served Jin Jiushao and his party. Hearing her tone, he knew there was other business to be done and replied with a smile, "Of course he did. The person who scrubbed Young Master Cheng's back is called Qiuye. Because she served him well, the young master even gave her an extra fifty coins."

Xiao Tongqian turned and went upstairs to reply. Qianfu was so surprised that he could hardly believe it and asked again, "Did you really give me fifty more coins?" She didn't need anyone to serve her. She got up from the bed by herself, opened the chest with great energy, took out the dowry money, and took out a few coins. Xiao Tongqian went downstairs to ask Xiaju about the price.

Little Copper Coin went downstairs with the money. The clever waiter had already ordered his men to send Chunhua back, while he waited at the door. As soon as he saw her, he smiled and said, "Sister, I have already sent someone to pick up Xiaju. She will be here soon." Little Copper Coin was stunned and admired himself. The waiter who greeted and saw people off was good at reading people's minds. She was very worried for Xiaoyuan, but she had no choice but to ask for the price as instructed by Madam Qian.

The waiter glanced at her attire. Although she was a maid and lived in a slum, the fabric of her clothes was of good quality, and she wore a jade hairpin instead of a glass one. He figured the rumors circulating outside that the Cheng and Jin families were pretending to be poor were true. He estimated he could make a few more bucks this time, so he slightly modified his original lines and pretended to be worried, saying, "Since Young Master Cheng likes it, our manager would be happy to oblige. However, Xia Ju is a virtuous woman and still a virgin. If your family wants to buy her, I'm afraid it will cost you a lot of money."

Little Copper Coin was in a hurry to inform Ah Cai and the He family, and didn't want to gossip with him. Just then, Xia Ju was also delivered, so he asked him the price was three thousand coins. Without even haggling, he casually tossed him a few three-guan coins, telling him to wait there and regret not asking for a higher price. He then went to look around the last building before bringing Qiu Ye to the first building to see Madam Qian.

Madam Qian carefully examined Qiu Ye. It was already autumn. She was only wearing a summer shirt, shivering slightly from the cold. Below, she wore only patched trousers, without a skirt. Even if Madam Qian had never seen someone from the countryside and didn't recognize her attire as that of a village girl, she could tell she was not well-off. So, she kindly asked, "Are you getting enough to eat at the perfume shop?"

This is an apartment building. Yet the furnishings and utensils exude wealth. Qiu Ye didn't dare to look up. She twisted her fingers in front of her and whispered, "I can earn about a hundred coins a day, but I have many brothers at home. We can only eat a full meal once every three days."

Madam Qian smiled, "I'll find you a place where you can eat your fill. How about that?" Qiu Ye, however, was very shrewd. She said, "If I only wanted to eat my fill, I would have ended up like my two older sisters long ago." Madam Qian didn't know what her sisters were like, but remembering that Little Copper Coin had said this girl was innocent, she understood a little. She said, "That's something shameful. How can it compare to being a proper concubine?"

Qiu Ye pursed her lips and shifted her feet, but remained silent. Seeing her like this, Madam Qian continued to coax her, "I've tried to find concubines for my son before, but none of them met his standards. As his mother, I was so anxious. I finally heard that he had someone he liked, so I hurriedly found you."

Before Qiu Ye arrived, she had been given instructions. She knew the person speaking was Cheng Mutian, and she also knew that the so-called "favoritism" was a misunderstanding. However, she had never experienced the life of a concubine. She only knew that her two older sisters always nagged in her ear, saying that if one day she were taken in by a master or young master, it would be incredibly lucky. She never expected that she would encounter such luck before her sisters. She couldn't help but feel a little smug. However, she was a woman of her own mind. She said softly, "There are plenty of wealthy young masters in Hong Kong. They all talk a big game, but once they've won over the mood, it's over. It doesn't count."

Finally, she found a smart person. Ji Liuniang was too stupid, which ruined her plans. Madam Qian hid her joy in her heart, put on a confident look on her face, and said firmly: "Even if you marry a legal wife, you still have to listen to your parents. With me backing you up, what are you afraid of?"

Seeing that she had given a definite answer, Qiu Ye stopped being so reserved and knelt down, kowtowing several times and pleading, "Since you want to use me, Madam, please give me a proper title."

Madam Qian had the same idea, so she readily agreed. This time, she learned from her mistake and was afraid that things might change if she waited too long. Before Xiao Yuan returned, she immediately asked Xiao Tongqian to borrow a servant from the Qian family and ordered him to go to the government office to get a proper document for taking a concubine. She also spent money to hire a matchmaker to act as an intermediary and finalize Qiu Ye's status.

When Xiao Tongqian took Qiuye to make the bed, Xiaoyuan had not yet returned. There were only a few old women watching over the whole building. She went up to the second floor without any hindrance, feeling anxious. However, the concubine's document had already been signed with her fingerprints, so she had no choice but to clean out the innermost room and buy a wooden bed for Qiuye to sleep in.

Qiu Ye was quite perceptive. Seeing that Xiao Tongqian was about to start spreading out the bedding, she quickly stepped forward and took it from her, laughing, "How could I let you do it, sister? I'll do it myself." She quickly finished making the bed and then took out a few coins from her pocket to thank her, saying, "Sister, you've taken care of everything for me, but I can't even offer you a cup of hot tea. I'm really sorry." When Xiao Tongqian saw the calluses on her palms, she couldn't bring herself to tease her anymore. She didn't take the money and sighed, "You should know better."

After settling Qiuye in, she slowly walked upstairs and forward. Passing the middle building, she saw several concubines of the Jin family carrying a large bucket of bloody water toward the outhouse. Her heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly ran back to Madam Qian and said, "Madam, why haven't we heard Aunt Ji calling out yet?" Madam Qian was also startled. She wanted to send her to ask, but was somewhat hesitant, so she called over a maidservant and told her to go to the Jin family to find out the details.

After a while, the old woman rushed back in a panic and said, "Madam, Jinniang gave birth to a son, but she suffered postpartum hemorrhage and is probably dying now." Madam Qian suddenly stood up, feeling dizzy. Ji Liuniang had been summoned to Lin'an by a letter from Madam Xin, and the Ji family had given a large dowry. Now that they had lost their daughter, she wondered if Ji Liuniang would cause trouble for the Qian family.