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They underestimated the speed at which rumors spread, and after asking several places, they were all turned away. Aunt Ding, supporting Cheng Si Niang, sighed and walked back, intending to hire a sedan chair at the alley entrance to go somewhere else, but unexpectedly ran into Aunt Chen in front of a carrying pole.

Aunt Chen recognized them and greeted them in surprise, "What are you doing here? Is Erlang pretending to be poor again?" Aunt Ding knew that she was Xiaoyuan's biological mother and said irritably, "Your daughter has no conscience and kicked us out."

Aunt Chen didn't understand whether the matter was true or false, but she was simply angered by those words. She said, "Does my daughter owe you money or a favor? Why should she support you? The fact that you can say such a thing shows that you have no conscience."

Aunt Ding hadn't expected Aunt Chen to be so eloquent, and was speechless, unsure how to retort. Fourth Sister Cheng quickly said, "Sister-in-law, you're angry with me; it's my fault." Wanting to plead with Xiao Yuan through Aunt Chen, she stepped forward, bowed, and recounted the whole story. They were standing at the entrance to the courtyard of that building, where people came and went, and heard Fourth Sister Cheng's words clearly. Many people glanced at her and whispered amongst themselves. Aunt Chen quickly led them to an empty room in the building and frowned, saying, "Fourth Sister, my daughter has truly spoiled me. She doesn't know anything about social etiquette. How can such family matters be discussed outside?"

Cheng Si Niang was in a hurry and hadn't thought things through. Hearing what she said, she almost burst into tears and asked, "Won't this cause trouble for my sister-in-law?"

Aunt Chen sighed, "You're wrong. It's not that you're causing trouble for your sister-in-law, but for yourself." Fourth Sister Cheng didn't understand, staring at her intently. Aunt Chen, always believing in the principle of self-preservation, was unwilling to teach her, and stood up, saying, "You all rest here. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."

Seeing that they had been sitting there for a while without anyone coming to chase them away, Aunt Ding pulled her aside and asked, "Do you know the owner of this house?"

Aunt Chen thought to herself: So Aunt Ding didn't know these three buildings were her property. She didn't expose her, but simply said, "A few years ago when you lived here, I was the one who found the landlord, so I had dealings with you a few times." Aunt Ding was overjoyed and said, "Since you recognize the buildings, could you help us rent a room?"

Aunt Chen was both angry and amused. This Aunt Ding, she really didn't know if she was too shameless or if she felt that everyone in the world owed her something, so she scolded someone's daughter and then turned around to make demands. Wasn't she afraid of being slapped in the face?

In Aunt Chen's heart, her daughter was the most important person, even the master had to take a backseat. She couldn't stand others talking badly about her daughter, so she decided to teach Aunt Ding a lesson. She thought to herself, "Just now, Fourth Sister Cheng spread the news that they were expelled from the Cheng family. If they still live here, they will definitely suffer. I might as well agree to this and take it as a way to vent my anger for my daughter."

Her mind raced, and a troubled expression appeared on her face. She said, "After all, it's not my building. Whether the owner will give me the time or not is uncertain." Aunt Ding thought that her status was similar to her own, so she urged her bluntly, "Then you should go and ask quickly."

Seeing her domineering and arrogant demeanor, Aunt Chen suppressed the urge to call someone to beat her, turned around and went downstairs, called over Old Man Cui and laughed a few words, then got into her sedan chair and left.

Old Cui wandered around downstairs for a while, then came upstairs to find Aunt Ding, saying, "Aunt Chen begged our master for a long time, and finally he agreed to let you stay here." He thought Aunt Ding would say a few words of thanks, but what he heard was, "It's not like we don't pay rent, it doesn't matter who we rent to."

Old Cui had been renting out his property for years and had dealt with rent defaulters for a long time, so he had a bad temper. He knocked heavily on the door twice and said loudly, "It's better to rent to anyone than to people who have been kicked out of their homes. Who knows if you've done something wrong? Even if you haven't, you must be a bad person to have been kicked out."

Aunt Ding crossed her arms, about to start cursing again, but Cheng Si Niang was very happy that Old Man Cui didn't treat them like "private property," so she advised her, "Aunt, it's getting dark, it's the right thing to do to rent the house quickly." Aunt Ding didn't want to go through any more trouble, so she accepted this excuse and asked Old Man Cui to take them to see the house.

Old Man Cui, having been instructed by Aunt Chen, led them to look at the second floor of the building facing the street and said, "This is the only floor left. If you want to rent it, hurry up, there are many people waiting to rent it." Aunt Ding had lived in this building before, so she had no complaints and pointed to the innermost room, saying, "We'll rent that one."

Old Cui laughed, "So you really are a concubine from a wealthy family, you don't even know the rules for renting an apartment. No matter the size or number of rooms, you rent an entire floor. There's no reason to rent it out piecemeal." Aunt Ding didn't believe him and argued. A resident on the floor above heard the commotion and came down to see what was happening, advising, "Don't make a scene. Old Cui is right. No matter where you go in Lin'an, apartments are rented by the floor. If you only rent one room, you'll make the other tenants lose money!"

Aunt Ding didn't believe it and turned to ask other people. However, Sister Cheng had walked a lot that day, and her toes were in excruciating pain whenever she moved. She quickly pulled her back and said, "Aunt, why don't you ask the neighbors if they also rent an entire floor? If that's the rule, then we'll follow it."

Seeing that she was unsteady on her feet, Aunt Ding listened to her and went to ask in the two buildings behind. Sure enough, they rented entire floors. She had no choice but to turn back, cursing, and ask Old Man Cui about the price.

Old Man Cui held up one finger and said, "One string of cash, to be paid monthly." Aunt Ding exclaimed, "One string of cash?" Old Man Cui asked in confusion, "Aren't you a concubine from a wealthy family? Why do you act like you've never seen the world before? One string of cash is only seven hundred coins. It's not expensive for you to stay for a month, is it?"

Chapter 195 Going out is full of difficulties

After a fierce internal struggle, Aunt Ding finally succumbed to the weight of being labeled a "concubine of a wealthy family" and began counting her money. "Her monthly allowance, combined with Cheng Si Niang's pocket money, totaled only four hundred and fifty coins, leaving a shortfall of two hundred and fifty coins from the required amount. Fortunately, Old Man Cui had been instructed not to make things difficult for them. He agreed to come back in three days to collect the remaining rent and kindly pointed out the stream where they could fetch water before swaying away, humming a little tune."

Aunt Ding looked at the three rooms side by side and suddenly smiled: "Let's take charge for once and divide them into a main hall and a bedroom." She pushed open the doors one by one to take a look. The room closest to the staircase was to be used as a reception hall, the middle room was to be used as a bedroom, and the last room, like Xiao Yuan's room before, was to be used as a toilet room.

She had a beautiful plan, but the rooms were completely empty. There wasn't even a bed, let alone tables, chairs, or benches. How could she distinguish between the main hall and the bedroom? Cheng Si Niang's legs ached, and seeing this scene, she was anxious but didn't know what to do. Fortunately, Aunt Ding knew a bit about household management. She quickly peeked outside. It wasn't completely dark yet, and there were still many vendors carrying their wares downstairs. She opened her bundle, picked out two pieces of clothing suitable for entertaining guests, and went to negotiate with the vendors to exchange them for a carrying bucket, a bamboo bed, and a chamber pot. She looked at the long bamboo bed and knew she definitely couldn't carry it up by herself, so she had to withdraw her hand that was holding the stool.

After tidying up the household items, Aunt Ding, despite her fatigue, went to the river to fetch half a bucket of water. She then helped Cheng Si Niang sit on the cool bed, took off her shoes, untied her foot bindings, and soaked her feet. As Cheng Si Niang soaked her feet, she suddenly said, "Aunt, you must never quarrel with anyone again, lest you lose your dignity."

Aunt Ding was washing Cheng Si Niang's feet when she paused, asking, "Are you already ashamed of your aunt?" Cheng Si Niang quickly shook her head, but in her heart she thought of Xiao Yuan, who always smiled and never spoke loudly. Slowly, she took her feet out of the tub and whispered, "I'm sleepy." Aunt Ding dried her feet and asked her a few more questions, but received no response. She could only wipe them haphazardly with the water Cheng Si Niang had used to wash them, and the mother and daughter fell asleep back to back, without saying another word all night.

The next day, before the monk who announced the dawn had even struck his wooden fish, Cheng Si Niang woke up. Aunt Ding, hearing the noise, asked her, "Why are you up so early? Are you choosing a bed?" Cheng Si Niang shook her head: "This bed is too hard. Don't you have any bedding, Aunt?" Aunt Ding sighed: "We haven't even paid our rent yet. Where would we get the money to buy bedding? Don't worry, when it's light, I'll pawn your hairpin, and then we'll have money to buy some." Cheng Si Niang refused, saying, "The hairpin my sister-in-law gave me before, I foolishly sold it. I absolutely cannot pawn this one."

Aunt Ding slapped the bed board and said anxiously, "She doesn't want you anymore, why are you still thinking about her? If you don't sell the hairpin, we'll starve!" The mother and daughter quarreled for the first time over a hairpin. As dawn broke and their stomachs began to rumble, Cheng Si Niang finally gave in and let Aunt Ding pawn the hairpin. She left money for rent, firewood, oil, and salt, and used the rest to buy tables, chairs, stools, flour buckets, foot buckets, bedding, mosquito coils, and other items.

After finishing these tasks, it was already noon. Cheng Si Niang had only eaten half a steamed bun that morning and was starving. She asked Aunt Ding, "Didn't you hire a cook?" Aunt Ding replied self-deprecatingly, "If you have that spare money, you might as well hire me."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Si Niang felt ashamed and quickly stood up, saying, "Where is the kitchen? I'll go cook for you, Aunt Ding." Aunt Ding pressed her down to sit, saying, "I'm a concubine, born to serve others. You sit down, I'll do it."

Hearing this, Cheng Si Niang felt very uncomfortable. After sitting for a while, she couldn't stay still any longer, so she stood up, leaned against the wall, and slowly made her way downstairs. She found Aunt Ding in a side room that had been built for the upper floor. When Aunt Ding saw her, she hurriedly said, "You've come at the right time. Watch over my vegetables here, don't let anyone steal them. I'll go buy a small stove and then I'll cook." It turned out that this was a communal kitchen, but everyone used their own utensils and other supplies. Aunt Ding had just tried to borrow a stove from everyone, but no one was willing to lend her one. Frustrated, she told Cheng Si Niang to watch over the vegetables while she went to buy the stove herself.

As soon as she left, a woman with messy hair spat and said, "What a piece of trash, who cares about her food?" Another woman, who lived upstairs from Aunt Ding and her family and they saw each other all the time, quickly stepped in to smooth things over and explained to Cheng Si Niang, "We all have to cook, and we really don't have a stove to lend to your mother." Cheng Si Niang blushed with embarrassment, thought for a long time, and finally whispered, "Not my mother, but Aunt Ding."

Hearing her say this, Sister Yiwosi suddenly became warm and friendly, laughing and saying, "So you're a concubine. No wonder you were so rude, you've dragged me into this." As she spoke, she picked up a stool, wiped it with her sleeve, and handed it to her, saying, "You must be the young lady of the Cheng family. Sit down quickly, don't hurt your feet."

The woman whose skirt wasn't fastened said, "My surname is Zheng, and I live upstairs from you. If you need anything, just go and get it." The other woman laughed, "She comes from a wealthy family; she has everything she needs. Why would she need your help?" Cheng Si Niang wasn't used to dealing with such "vulgar" people, so she lowered her head and only looked at the tips of her shoes. Seeing that she didn't say anything, the two other women assumed that the young lady was shy, so they ignored her and went outside to pick vegetables and chat, occasionally giggling and glancing at her.

Cheng Si Niang felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. Finally, when Aunt Ding returned with the small stove seller, she hurriedly went upstairs. She sat on the hard stool and looked around the room. The four walls were bare, without any decorations or paintings. Near the window, there was a bucket stand, a basin stand, and a small table that served as a mirror, on which sat a dimly lit bronze mirror. A few bottles of rouge and face powder, brought from the Cheng family, were also there. There was a cool bed on one side and a table opposite. Besides these, there was nothing else. She thought of her once extremely luxurious boudoir, and tears involuntarily began to well up in her eyes.

After a while, Aunt Ding brought up a tray. She quickly wiped away her tears and went to help set the table. There was a plate of steamed fish and a plate of stir-fried vegetables. Cheng Si Niang was a little incredulous and asked, "Just these two dishes?" Aunt Ding ladled a bowl of rice from a small pot for her and said, "I know you're being treated poorly, but our money is only enough for this every meal. Actually, this is considered good. I've seen them cook rice, and it's all porridge. The rice water is so clear it's like water; you can practically count the grains of rice."

Cheng Si Niang forced herself to eat two bites before putting down her chopsticks, choking back tears as she said, "I was too rash in my actions and have implicated you, Aunt." Aunt Ding comforted her, saying, "That's your filial piety. I'm overjoyed. Don't blame yourself anymore." She earnestly persuaded Cheng Si Niang, managing to get her to eat a few more bites.

After the mother and daughter finished lunch and cleared away the dishes, they sat facing each other, unable to find anything to do. Just as they were discussing whether to buy some silk to make embroidery and sell for money, a woman from the silk-making family upstairs came downstairs with a bowl of pickled vegetables and said with a smile, "Made at home, make some and have a taste."

Aunt Ding disliked the pickled vegetables, but was delighted to have the opportunity to entertain a guest. She quickly put aside the earlier grudge in the kitchen and ushered the woman to sit in the living room. The living room was really just a small table, two chairs, and three stools. The woman exclaimed in surprise, "What's the point of leaving this room empty? You might as well put out some woven cloth." Aunt Ding blushed at this, embarrassed to call it a living room. Taking advantage of serving tea, she changed the subject, asking, "How does my family make a living?"

Sister Yiwosi, eager to join the conversation, replied, "My husband sells sweet porridge, but my eldest son has landed a good job as a 'night soil collector.'" "Night soil collector"—that's basically shoveling latrines! And this is a good job? Aunt Ding couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh. Sister Yiwosi glanced at the seated Cheng Si Niang and said, "Aunt Ding, don't look down on this 'night soil collector.' It's lucrative; countless people are vying for this job." Aunt Ding laughed out loud: "What's the use of making so much money if you still come home smelling terrible?"

Sister Yiwosi's face darkened, and she said, "You were all just kicked out, with no good dowry and bound feet. Let's see where you can marry. You look down on my son, and I look down on your daughter too."

Aunt Ding then realized that Cheng Si Niang had come to propose marriage. Her fourth daughter had actually fallen so low as to dare to come to her door with such a lowly status. Both bold and anxious, she grabbed a broom from behind the door and started hitting Yi Wu Si's sister-in-law. Yi Wu Si's sister-in-law cried out in pain. Her two daughters, who were washing dishes in the kitchen downstairs, rushed upstairs upon hearing the commotion. Seeing their mother being beaten, they quickly came to her aid. Outnumbered, they easily knocked Aunt Ding to the ground. Cheng Si Niang, with her bound feet, couldn't help at all and, in desperation, hugged Aunt Ding and wept. Her daughter was about to strike Cheng Si Niang again when Yi Wu Si's wife stopped them, saying, "Don't hurt the young lady. Your eldest brother adores her and wants me to find a matchmaker to propose marriage." Her eldest daughter asked curiously, "Mother, since you've taken a liking to someone else's daughter, why are you hitting her mother? I think this marriage won't go through." Yi Wu Si's wife laughed and said, "Silly girl, I worked for a wealthy family for a few days and know the ways of the world. Although they've been kicked out of the mansion, this young lady's marriage isn't something a concubine can decide. I'll just go and propose to the Cheng family. What's wrong with hitting her?"

Her eldest daughter was still puzzled and asked again, "The Cheng family is a prestigious and wealthy family. Would they really marry their young lady into our family?" Aunt Ding became increasingly angry as she listened, her eyes turning black. She hurriedly said, "Bah! Erlang will absolutely not agree to this absurd marriage." Sister-in-law Yiwo laughed again and told her two daughters, "If they had won the master's favor, how could they have been kicked out? They might already be a thorn in the side of the Cheng family master. I'll send a matchmaker to talk things over, and this matter will definitely be settled." After saying that, she led her two daughters downstairs, saying that she was going to find a good matchmaker.

Aunt Ding watched them leave helplessly, trying to chase after them but unable to, and so anxious she pounded the floor. Cheng Si Niang collapsed onto her, crying, "I want to go back! Why don't you want me, sister-in-law?"

Sister-in-law Zheng appeared at the top of the stairs and saw the two women lying on the ground. She rushed over to help them up and asked, "What happened? It was just a little quarrel in the kitchen, nothing serious." Aunt Ding shook her head and told her about Sister-in-law Yi's marriage proposal earlier. She was so anxious that she kept saying, "What should we do? What should we do?"... Sister-in-law Zheng took one arm in each of theirs and helped them into the house to sit down. She smiled and said, "Don't blame me for being blunt, but you're worrying too much. No matter how much the Cheng family dislikes you, they won't let your daughter marry a 'scoundrel.' Aren't you ashamed? You still have to save face."

Aunt Ding thought what she said made perfect sense and became happy again. Even Sister Cheng was relieved and her worries disappeared.

Seeing that Cheng Si Niang's clothes were made of fine materials, Sister Zheng thought to herself, "She's definitely a young lady from a wealthy family. Even though she's been kicked out, she's dressed much better than ordinary people." She then glanced at Aunt Ding a few more times and deliberately sighed, "I was originally planning to introduce your daughter to a good match, but I didn't expect you couldn't make the decision." Seeing that Sister Zheng was discussing marriage with her like a bunch of other women, Cheng Si Niang blushed with embarrassment and got up to leave.

Sister-in-law Zheng smiled and said, "She comes from a respectable family and knows proper etiquette. She's a good match for the young master of the Li family." Aunt Ding had thought that she was also going to arrange a marriage for someone of low social standing and was about to get up to catch up when she realized that the person she was referring to was a young master. So she couldn't help but ask, "Where is this young master Li from? What is his family background?"

Aunt Zheng's words piqued her interest, but she didn't delve into the details, saying only, "You can't make the decision anyway, what's the use of telling you?" Aunt Ding patted the small table and said, "My daughter is my own daughter, how can I not make the decision? Just tell me." Aunt Zheng was delighted and was about to make up some nice things, but Aunt Ding shook her head and sighed, "Forget it, what's the point of telling me? We can't afford a decent dowry right now."

Sister-in-law Zheng laughed and said, "You don't need to worry about that. The Li family is big and wealthy, they don't care about such things." Ding Yiniang didn't believe it and became more vigilant. She asked, "What is the age and character of this young master Li?" Sister-in-law Zheng asked first, "How old is your daughter? Why don't you tell me first? If she is not a good match, I won't mention it."

Aunt Ding thought this was a good idea, and said, "My daughter is the fourth child, and she is only eleven years old this year. It's a bit too early for her to get married. If there is a good family, it would be fine to arrange a marriage for her first."

Sister-in-law Zheng clapped her hands and laughed, "Oh my, it's a match made in heaven! The young master of the Li family is only three years older than your fourth daughter. He has a very good temperament, his family is wealthy, and he is ambitious. He is currently studying at Qiantang Academy. Who knows, he might even become the top scholar in the imperial examination in the future."

Aunt Ding understood their current predicament. She had initially thought that this young master of the Li family was either too old or mentally challenged, otherwise why wouldn't he mind that Cheng Si Niang had no dowry? Now, hearing that his conditions were so good, she was both happy and apprehensive, and asked, "Isn't he going to take a concubine?"

Sister-in-law Zheng was taken aback for a moment, then solemnly assured her, "It's definitely not about taking a concubine. If it is, come find me."

Chapter 196 A Strange Twist of Fate

Having received the assurance, Aunt Ding felt relieved. She took a few coins and went downstairs, asking the scholar who wrote letters to help her write down Cheng Si Niang's birth date and time. She handed it to Sister Zheng, thanking her profusely, and saw her off. Having finished her business, she couldn't wait to go next door to tell Cheng Si Niang the good news. Cheng Si Niang listened to her story with her head down and a flushed face, still somewhat doubtful: "How could there be such a good thing? Aunt, you must have misheard." Aunt Ding said, "Sister Zheng has guaranteed it won't be a concubine, what are you worried about?" Cheng Si Niang asked in surprise, "As long as it's not a concubine, it's fine?" Aunt Ding said, "Of course, who treats concubines like human beings? Even sons born to concubines are looked down upon, not to mention daughters, most of them are married off carelessly because they didn't have good dowries."

When Cheng Si Niang first heard Aunt Ding talk about the fate of daughters born out of wedlock, she couldn't help but ask, "Since everyone is like this, why did my brother and sister-in-law promise to give me a dowry?" Aunt Ding was speechless and stammered, "Perhaps...perhaps they were afraid of gossip." Cheng Si Niang thought for a moment and shook her head, "No, if this is how things are, where would gossip come from?" Aunt Ding remained silent, and Cheng Si Niang answered her own question, "So Aunt Chen was right. My brother and sister-in-law owe me nothing. Why did they raise me? It's just because they are kind-hearted. But I took advantage of their favor and overstepped my bounds." She suddenly realized her mistake, but unfortunately, there was no going back. The more she thought about it, the sadder she became, and she buried her face in her pillow and cried bitterly.

Aunt Ding coaxed her, "Good girl, don't be sad. Once you get married, you can go back to see your sister-in-law with your head held high." Cheng Si Niang looked up and slowly glanced at the bare walls around her. She thought that getting married was probably the only way out, so she nodded and whispered, "I'll leave it to you, Aunt."

Aunt Ding, now able to make all the decisions, was somewhat relieved to have been kicked out of the Cheng family. She happily took the money, went to the street to buy a few feet of red cloth and some silk thread, and brought them home to Cheng Si Niang, saying, "Although I didn't get a dowry, I still need to make a nice wedding dress."

Cheng Si Niang understood that there would be no sewing room maid to do these things for her now, so she disregarded her shyness and, together with Aunt Ding, each took a piece of cloth and began to embroider.

Several days have passed, and there's still no news from Sister-in-law Zheng. Aunt Ding is getting anxious. Taking advantage of the opportunity while preparing dinner, she stopped her in the communal kitchen and asked about the marriage of the young master of the Li family. Sister-in-law Zheng, afraid of being overheard, quickly pulled her upstairs, closed the door, and said, "My dear Aunt Ding, please don't make a fuss. People are lining up to submit their birth dates and times to the Li family. If others find out, we'll have another rival."

Aunt Ding, thinking she had acted rashly, nodded repeatedly and asked, "Has my fourth daughter's birth date and time been submitted?" Sister-in-law Zheng sighed and said, "People these days are all snobs. The old woman who collects birth dates and times only recognizes me. She takes the invitation from whoever offers the most reward money first." Upon hearing this, Aunt Ding stomped her feet in anger and cursed loudly, but she didn't mention the matter of sending money.

Sister-in-law Zheng was furious that this person was so ignorant, so she had no choice but to speak frankly: "If Aunt Ding wants Fourth Miss's invitation to be sent in sooner, why not also give some money to that old woman? Otherwise, if your Fourth Miss hasn't even had a chance yet, and Madam Li has already chosen someone for Young Master Li, wouldn't that be a pity?"

Aunt Ding finally understood and asked, "How much do you think I should slip you?" Sister-in-law Zheng initially intended to hold up three fingers, but after secretly glancing at her a few times, she realized she wouldn't get anything out of her openly, so she changed her three fingers to five and waved them in front of Aunt Ding. Aunt Ding asked, "Fifty coins?"

Sister-in-law Zheng's eyes held a hint of disdain as she said, "You wealthy families only offer fifty coins for getting things done?" Aunt Ding considered her finances and said helplessly, "I can't come up with five hundred coins; the rent isn't paid yet." Sister-in-law Zheng had been present when she paid the rent to Old Man Cui and knew very well how much she owed. Hearing this, she deflated and said, "You owe quite a bit. It seems you have no money to bribe your daughter. Let's just leave it at that."

She turned to leave, but Aunt Ding quickly grabbed her arm and said, "I've already raised the rent money, but I really can't afford the five hundred coins you want." Sister Zheng's hope was rekindled, and she persuaded her, "Is rent more important, or your daughter's marriage? As long as you get married into the Li family, are you afraid they won't pay you the rent?"

Aunt Ding's mind raced at these words, and almost unconsciously, she took out the two hundred and fifty coins she had set aside for rent, and then set aside fifty coins for groceries, making a total of three hundred coins to give to Sister-in-law Zheng. Sister-in-law Zheng had hoped to squeeze out five hundred, but in the end, she only got three hundred. Feeling extremely frustrated, she took the money, said a few perfunctory words, and went upstairs. Aunt Ding was still calling after her, "Sister-in-law Zheng, if you have any good news, come and tell me immediately."

Having received the money, Sister-in-law Zheng acted much faster. A few days later, she came to visit. Upon seeing Aunt Ding and Fourth Sister Cheng, she sighed, "Last time I handed over the money and shamelessly said a lot of nice things, and finally found out some information. It turns out that the young master of the Li family is a legitimate son. This matter is going to be difficult." Aunt Ding asked in confusion, "This is a good thing, why is it difficult?" Sister-in-law Zheng glanced at Fourth Sister Cheng and said with difficulty, "Your Fourth Sister's appearance and temperament are impeccable, it's just a pity that she is a concubine's daughter. The Li family is rich and doesn't care about the size of the dowry, but they are picky about birth. They won't marry a girl who isn't a legitimate daughter."

Aunt Ding knew she was telling the truth. Even in humble families, let alone wealthy ones, a wife who could marry a legitimate daughter would never choose a daughter born out of wedlock. Cheng Si Niang listened, her eyes welling with tears. Seeing Aunt Ding bow her head in silence, she knew Zheng Saozi's words were true. Afraid of being laughed at for her tears, she quickly stood up, feigning illness, and went back to her bedroom to rest.

Seeing that Aunt Ding was about to follow, Sister Zheng quickly said, "This matter isn't without room for maneuver." Aunt Ding, having learned her lesson this time, asked proactively, "How much money is needed?" Sister Zheng was very satisfied with her attitude and deliberately didn't ask for a high price, saying, "This matter is actually quite simple. Whether someone is born legitimate or illegitimate depends on just their words. You just need to take out another three hundred coins and bribe Madam Li's personal maid so that Madam Li doesn't know that Fourth Sister is born illegitimate."

Aunt Ding didn't believe it and questioned, "Madam Li must have a lot of servants around her. With so many mouths to feed, how could she possibly keep quiet? Besides, she has social obligations. A little inquiry would reveal the truth." Sister-in-law Zheng hadn't expected that Aunt Ding, after all, had served Madam Qian for several years. She couldn't fool her with such a thing. For a moment, she was at a loss for words and could only sigh with feigned regret, "Since you don't believe me, then so be it. It's a pity to waste such a good marriage. So many people are eagerly waiting for it."

Aunt Ding was also reluctant to see her off, so she didn't rush to send her away and sat there, burying herself in thinking of a plan. Sister Zheng's eyes swept across the table and saw an unfinished embroidery. She picked it up and looked at it, and then she had an idea. She asked, "Did Fourth Sister embroider this bright embroidery?" Aunt Ding proudly replied, "Yes, my Fourth Sister is very skillful."

Sister-in-law Zheng praised her, saying, "Who wouldn't love such a skillful girl? Why don't I take her to Madam Li and let her see her? If she's lucky enough to catch her eye, why would she care if she's born out of wedlock?" Aunt Ding thought it was a brilliant idea and got up to tell Cheng Si Niang. Sister-in-law Zheng coughed and said, "The Li family isn't a place you can just walk into; you have to bribe everyone, from top to bottom." Aunt Ding felt as if she'd been doused with cold water, and asked her how much money she wanted without much confidence. Sister-in-law Zheng, afraid of scaring her, only said three hundred coins. This amount didn't exceed Aunt Ding's bottom line, so she breathed a sigh of relief, took the money, handed it to Sister-in-law Zheng, and saw her to the stairs before turning back to find Cheng Si Niang.

Hearing the sound of her pushing open the door, Cheng Si Niang looked up, her eyes brimming with tears, and asked, "What Sister Zheng said isn't true, is it? Otherwise, why are both Eldest Sister and Third Sister, who were born out of wedlock, now wives?" Aunt Ding coaxed her, "She's just talking nonsense. You'll be a wife too, so don't envy Eldest Sister and Third Sister." The more convincing her words were, the less Cheng Si Niang believed her, and she insisted on getting her to tell the truth. Forced into a corner, Aunt Ding finally said, "Eldest Sister had a good dowry; your father was biased and gave her almost half his fortune. As for Third Sister, it's because your father couldn't afford a dowry for her, so he wanted to marry her off to Quanzhou. But Gan Shier stayed in Lin'an. What's there to envy about her family? The Gan family elders refused to give any money, and it's all up to your Third Sister to support the family; she's working so hard."

Cheng Si Niang said sadly, "Father didn't leave us any dowry before he died. He must have been reluctant to part with the money. It seems I'm like Third Sister, not liked by him." Ding Yiniang, remembering the "baby washing" incident, felt a chill and gritted her teeth, saying, "Your father wasn't a good person. Don't mention him." Cheng Si Niang vaguely knew about the "baby washing" incident and knew that Master Cheng had driven Ding Yiniang out of the house because of her birth. Unintentionally stirring up Ding Yiniang's painful memories, she quickly changed the subject, saying, "Since this marriage is hopeless, why did you talk to Sister-in-law Zheng for so long, Aunt?"

As soon as Aunt Ding entered, she was bombarded with questions, and only then did she remember the joyous occasion. She quickly recounted how Sister-in-law Zheng wanted to take her to meet Madam Li. Fourth Sister Cheng was delighted to hear this, but also somewhat worried, asking, "What if Madam Li doesn't think much of me? Wouldn't that be incredibly embarrassing?" At this question, Aunt Ding hesitated, then after a moment's thought, said, "It's alright. I'll tell Sister-in-law Zheng that we're just taking you to visit someone. That way, even if it doesn't work out, it won't be a big problem."

Cheng Si Niang asked again, "Aunt, will you come with me?" Aunt Ding shook her head, "If I go, won't we be exposed?" Cheng Si Niang was afraid to go to the Li family alone, so she hugged Aunt Ding's arm and said, "Aunt, let's go and tell my sister-in-law to lend me a maid to go with me, okay?" Aunt Ding said angrily, "She has already cruelly kicked us out, why should we beg her?" She couldn't bear to scold Cheng Si Niang too much, so she comforted her, "Don't be afraid, I'll go with you and guard the gate, how about that?" Cheng Si Niang felt a little relieved and nodded. Aunt Ding then went to rummage through her bundle to choose clothes for her to wear when receiving guests.

Chapter 197 So That's How It Is (Part 1)

A few days later, Sister-in-law Zheng came to the door beaming, saying that she had taken care of everyone in the Li family and had brought Cheng Si Niang away. Aunt Ding wanted to go with her, but unfortunately, Old Man Cui came to collect the rent.

Aunt Ding begged him to give her a few more days, but Old Man Cui glared at her and said, "We agreed to pay the rent in three days. I've urged you again and again, but you always say you have no money. I'm just working for the master. If you don't pay, you'll be a burden to me."

No matter what he said, Aunt Ding still couldn't come up with 250 coins. Old Man Cui had no choice but to truthfully report back to Aunt Chen. Aunt Chen was determined to make them suffer a loss, and upon hearing this news, she was overjoyed. She first instructed Old Man Cui to go and collect the rent every few days, and then she took a sedan chair to Xiao Yuan's house to tell her the good news.

After listening to Aunt Chen recount Aunt Ding's current situation, Xiao Yuan remained silent for a while before saying, "In the end, it's my fault for not raising her well. Let her learn a lesson; I'll bring her back in a few days." Aunt Chen sighed, "How can you raise her? She's not your own child. You can't just hit her or scold her as you please. If you leave her out there to fend for herself, no one will say anything. But if you pamper her and then beat and scold her constantly, gossipy women will start talking." Xiao Yuan asked, "Then, Aunt, what do you think I should do? I've raised her for so many years; am I really going to let her wander outside?" Aunt Chen said, "Why not let her suffer a bit and take her to another courtyard to be raised? She'll be married in a few years anyway, so you won't have much trouble." Xiao Yuan thought for a long time and sighed, "I can't raise her myself, so this is the only way." Aunt Chen comforted her, "I know you're kind-hearted and treat her like your own daughter, but she's not like Rui Niang. Letting her know her place sooner isn't a bad thing." Xiao Yuan nodded gently, "It's just that she'll suffer." Aunt Chen smiled, "After a few days away, she probably won't feel the hardship anymore and will even be grateful for your kindness."

Wu-ge had probably just come back from kicking balloons; he was covered in sweat. He rushed into the house, calling out loudly for his mother. Suddenly seeing Aunt Chen there, he abruptly stopped, bowed, turned, and dashed back to his room to change. Aunt Chen chuckled, "Wu-ge is still as mischievous as he was when he was little." Xiao Yuan shook her head with a smile, "His father has tried everything—beating him, scolding him—but he just can't change. There's nothing he can do." Chen-ge came in carrying several books, handed them to the maid by the door, bowed respectfully, asked what time dinner would be served, and went outside to wash his hands.

Even when it was time to eat, Aunt Chen still hadn't seen Cheng Mutian and Rui Niang, so she hurriedly asked Xiao Yuan for details. Xiao Yuan replied, "Third Miss's parents-in-law have come to Lin'an with their second son's family, and Erlang took her to accompany them." Aunt Chen laughed, "Erlang really dotes on Rui Niang. Everyone else takes their sons out, but he takes his daughter." Xiao Yuan thought to herself, doting is secondary; the main thing is that she doesn't want Brother Chen to get close to Qianqian.

Wu-ge held his bowl, glancing at Xiao-yuan every now and then, looking like he had something to say. What was even stranger was that Chen-ge looked almost the same. Xiao-yuan thought to herself that they were probably holding back because Aunt Chen was there.

Sure enough, after the meal, Aunt Chen took her leave, and Wu Ge and Chen Ge immediately surrounded her, also dismissing the servants in the room. Xiao Yuan asked curiously, "What are you two up to?" Wu Ge nudged Chen Ge with his elbow and said, "You like reading, so tell me." Chen Ge retorted, "What does this have to do with reading? You're the older brother, so tell me."

Xiao Yuan pinched Chen Ge's arm and suddenly said something unrelated: "Chen Ge, you seem to have gained weight again."

Chen Ge's face immediately turned red, and he scurried behind her. Wu Ge shouted, "Mother, you're being unfair!" Xiao Yuan glared at him, "Are you going to tell me or not? If you don't, I'm leaving." Wu Ge hurriedly said, "Tell me, tell me... Mother, do you know what a 'chamber maid' is?"

Xiao Yuan gave him a strange look: "A maidservant is a concubine, only worse than a concubine. What is a concubine? Don't you know? Why do you have to act all mysterious?" Chen Ge turned to face her, his face flushed, and whispered, "Li Ququ said that the maidservant his mother found for him was specifically for teaching, teaching... Brother, tell me." Wu Ge slapped his head and said, "You're useless, it's just... it's just... it's just..." He said "it's just" countless times, but didn't dare to say the rest. It turned out that Cheng Mutian had returned with Ruiniang in his arms.

Cheng Mutian handed the sleeping Rui Niang to the wet nurse to take away, and asked Wu Ge, "What is it? Why did you stop talking as soon as you saw me come back?" Wu Ge pulled Chen Ge, and the two turned to run away. Cheng Mutian grabbed one of them with each hand and scolded Wu Ge, "Look at you, what kind of older brother are you? You've corrupted your younger brother."

Wu Ge was unconvinced and muttered, "He wanted to run away on his own; I didn't teach him." Cheng Mutian didn't pursue the matter further, but made the two of them stand in front of him and said, "Read what you just said."

Wu Ge started looking at his toes, and Chen Ge followed suit. Cheng Mutian was furious: "Don't go to school this afternoon. Wu Ge, go stand as punishment. Chen Ge, go run in the yard. Stop whenever you want to talk."

Wu Ge and Chen Ge both knew that Cheng Mutian meant what he said. They looked at each other, and finally Wu Ge was the boldest, saying in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "Sexual relations."

"What?" Cheng Mutian nearly fell off his chair. Xiao Yuan pieced together their conversation and asked, "That Li Ququ you're talking about, his mother found a maid to teach him about sex?" Cheng Mutian glared at Xiao Yuan and hurriedly changed the subject: "Who is that? And she's called Li Ququ?"

Wu Ge replied, "He's a relative of ours, the younger brother of my third aunt's family. He's the one who loves cricket fighting." So he was Li Wu Niang's brother. Cheng Mutian thought for a moment, but didn't remember him. He stood up and said, "Wife, I've just had some wine. I'll go and rest for a while."

Trying to slip away? Not so easy. Xiao Yuan grabbed him, pressed him into a chair, and said to her two sons, "You're not little kids anymore. Today, your father will tell you what a maidservant is." She finished speaking very quickly, and before Cheng Mutian could object, she lifted her skirt and ran out, closing the door behind her. Then she pressed her ear against the door to eavesdrop.

Cheng Mutian, feeling helpless after being tricked by his wife, glanced at his two sons, both staring at him with wide eyes. He knew he wouldn't be able to escape without explaining himself. He picked up his teacup, using the excuse of drinking tea to hide his blush, and asked casually, "Why are you asking about this instead of focusing on your studies?" Wu Ge replied, "I heard Li Ququ tell me this at school. He's fourteen this year, and his mother is going to find him a maid to teach him… those things. Father, when I turn fourteen, will you also find me a maid?" Chen Ge added, "I heard that maid is a concubine from a wealthy family."

Cheng Mutian first answered his eldest son's question seriously: "I need to discuss this with your mother." Then he refuted his younger son, saying, "That's all hearsay. What wealthy family's young lady would become a maidservant? Even if she's born out of wedlock, she'd at least be a concubine." Wu Ge chimed in, "He's not wrong. That's what Li Ququ said. Speaking of which, that young lady is actually from our clan, also surnamed Cheng." "Also surnamed Cheng?" Cheng Mutian was startled. "What's her name?"

Wu Ge and Chen Ge shook their heads in unison: "We don't know. We just went to the Li family today. Li Ququ only overheard a few words this morning."

A bad feeling crept into Cheng Mutian's heart. He sent them to the academy, intending to go to the Li family's residence to investigate. Xiao Yuan came in from outside and said, "They are staying in my aunt's apartment building. I'll send someone to inquire." Cheng Mutian nodded and said, "Go quickly. If it really is Fourth Sister, bring her back." Xiao Yuan agreed, saw him to the door, then called over A Xiu and briefly told her about the Li family's affairs, sending her to the apartment building to gather information.