Цзяннань Гайден

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Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Unfathomable Truth

In the main hall, the old matriarch gestured for the second wife, Zhang, to stop, then waved to Wulang and said, "Second daughter-in-law, you stay here! Wulang, go back and look after your wife. Tomorrow, copy the Classic of Filial Piety one hundred times. If you misbehave again, you'll be punished according to family rules! Go!"

Chen Wu acknowledged and took his leave.

The old matriarch asked Zhang to sit down and asked in a deep voice, "How many people were selected this time?"

"Eight."

Zhang believed her intentions were good; no matter how old her son was, he was still her child, and what mother wouldn't think of her son? Of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is having no descendants; she was doing this out of concern for the continuation of the family line, and the old matriarch should understand that.

Seeing that the old lady did not say anything, Zhang continued to explain: "Si Lang just returned, and according to the rules of the manor, there are not enough servants in the room. Besides a concubine, there is no one suitable to serve in Wu Lang's room, so when I was adding servants to Si Lang's room, I also set up four servants for Wu Lang's room."

After Zhang finished explaining, she calmed down from her anger at Wulang for forgetting his mother after getting a wife, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt that something was wrong.

Why did I have to run into these troublemakers? And then there are my two nieces-in-law, Auntie and Sixth Aunt, who are involved. Those two shrewd sisters wouldn't risk shooting themselves in the foot, would they? The maid sent to my son's room, though supposedly a concubine, had been subtly instructed to behave herself. Why is she stirring up trouble again? Who's really behind this?

Zhang was suspicious, but couldn't figure it out. In short, she had lost face and dignity today, and she couldn't afford to upset the old lady any further and damage the image of a virtuous and kind woman she had built up over the years.

"Oh! I didn't expect to make such a big mistake. It was my carelessness that upset you. I apologize to you first, Madam. I'll go see Fifth Sister as soon as I get back."

"Are the children in the fourth son's room safe and sound?" The old lady had dealt with the children in the fifth son's room, so naturally she had to ask the other four.

When Mu Qing heard that her family was mentioned, she leaned closer to the wall and heard Zhang Shi say, "For now... everything is fine!"

"Let's not keep Wu Lang's wife anymore. We'll talk about her when Wu Niang is feeling better. As for Si Lang, he's only had Qing'er all these years... let's keep his wife for now!"

"Okay! I understand, my wife!"

The old lady spoke, but Mu Qing was puzzled. What was going on? Why weren't her own mistresses kicked out either? The old lady was biased!

“It’s only natural for you to worry about your son, but acting rashly is absolutely wrong. Go on your way! Make sure to comfort Fifth Sister!” The old lady rubbed her forehead, pressed her fingers to her temples, hummed in agreement, and waved for Zhang to go back.

After Zhang left, the old lady pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Mingyue, what day is it today?"

It's the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.

"Hmm, there are still five days before the various households come to collect their debts... This person has been sitting here for too long, it's time to move around!"

...

Mu Qing slipped out from under the shelf, tiptoeing as if afraid of making a sound, and like a little mouse, she escaped through the back door as fast as she could. She ran into the corridor, breathed a sigh of relief, straightened up, and walked into her room.

"Something's wrong!" Mu Qing muttered to herself as she walked.

Her mind raced, piecing together the bits and pieces she'd overheard in the west courtyard and earlier, and everything seemed strange. There were clues, but she couldn't quite grasp them; it was all shrouded in mystery.

Judging from her grandmother's tone, she clearly didn't know the origins of the people she had chosen, nor did she understand their true nature, let alone know that prostitutes had infiltrated this group.

Sixth Aunt is intelligent, bold, and shrewd. She would never be careless when it comes to purchasing things, so how could she have made such a big mistake? Considering Sixth Uncle's scandalous affair, she should hate that kind of person to the core; there's no way she would buy a courtesan from a brothel to serve as a maid in the household. If she had a motive—wanting to see the second branch of the family make a fool of themselves—that doesn't seem plausible!

Mu Qing shook her head, her little face scrunched up like a steamed bun. Only her eldest aunt was left! She was the most suspicious: her eldest aunt had her power taken away by her sixth aunt, and she held a grudge. She had her former subordinates secretly do something underhanded, and then the second branch of the family got into trouble, exposing the third branch. She then reaped the benefits and regained power.

Mu Qing patted her head, feeling like she'd missed something. She carefully recalled the conversation she'd overheard outside Si Mei's house and suddenly remembered Fu Rong mentioning that they were chosen by her uncle and aunt.

After going around in circles, it seems that the explanation makes sense.

However, if my aunt accompanies my grandmother to the matchmaking, isn't she afraid that people will turn around and accuse her of seemingly clearing her name but actually going to plant her own people?

There's only one truth!

Unfortunately, I'm still just getting started, and I've already wasted a lot of precious brain cells.

And look at the old lady's attitude... Sigh! I'm afraid I'll become an accomplice in ruining my parents' relationship! Even if I figure everything out, I still can't completely kick the mistress out. Oh well, since the old lady and grandmother don't know Furong and Yongxu's identities, there's no need to worry about anything. Just expose them and that's it!

As for who's behind it all, what their motives are, and who they're trying to frame, the clues are limited. I doubt I could figure it out even if I racked my brains. It would be more practical to deal with the mistresses in my own home.

...

Mu Qing made a decision and quickly put it into action.

After dinner, Mu Qing whined and begged to have her four older sisters play with her. The old lady couldn't resist her persistent pleading and agreed. After finding out who they were, the old lady only paused for a moment before not rejecting Mu Qing's request.

Seeing that the first step was successful, Mu Qing continued to pretend to be innocent and asked what a brothel was.

The old lady's expression changed drastically, and she demanded, "Who told you this?"

"Qing'er heard it from Sister Furong. She said that she and Sister Yongxu had lived there!"

The old lady's face instantly darkened, and Mu Qing feigned innocence, asking timidly, "Grandma, are you angry? Did Qing'er say something wrong?"

"Qing'er did nothing wrong! Humph! Who let these sluts in? Mingyue, Mingyue!"

Zhang Ma arrived. The old lady was in a rage and, in a fit of anger, ordered someone to beat Furong and Yongxu and then throw them out.

"Great-Grandma, Qing'er doesn't know what her sisters did wrong to make you angry, but you've already hit them today, please don't hit them anymore. Don't you often tell Qing'er Buddhist stories? About being magnanimous and helping others. And that saying, 'Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda'... Anyway, Buddha said to be compassionate. So, Great-Grandma, please forgive her sisters this time, and send them out without hitting them, okay? Qing'er was also beaten when she encountered bad guys in Danling and was arrested. Qing'er knows how painful that is, boohoo—"

Tears welled up in Mu Qing's eyes. The old lady gently pulled Mu Qing close, saying with pity, "My poor Qing'er, alas! So be it! Mingyue, just listen to Qing'er! Remember to ask clearly before kicking her out!"

Mu Qing nestled in the old lady's arms, wiping away her tears with her small hands, muttering to herself: "Furong, Yongxu, I don't care whether you came to be my maids out of genuine affection or not. Who told you to be my father's concubines?! Your origins are illegitimate. It's one thing to be a concubine to the master or other men, but to be with me? The old lady will never tolerate it. You've corrupted the young lady, tarnished her reputation—that's a serious crime in the Chen family. Don't blame me for being heartless; for my sake, I won't give you a chance. At most, I'll compensate you by sparing you from punishment!"

After Zhang Ma left, Mu Qing peeked out from the old lady's arms. Sigh! This method only treats the symptoms, not the root cause! Getting rid of two will only result in others taking their place. These days, there's no shortage of women who want to climb the social ladder and become concubines… It seems it's still more comfortable to live alone!

Mu Qing couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Perhaps, it really was time to find an opportunity for the whole family to move out of this courtyard!

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Chapter Forty: Little Ma's Conditions

Sister Furong and Yongxu only met Fourth Master Chen Yu once before being kicked out by the Old Madam. As for whether Zhang Ma had found out who was behind it all, Mu Qing didn't know, and what would become of Furong and Yongxu was not her concern.

Danzhi and Yilan were also summoned for questioning, but were later sent back unharmed. Muqing informed the Old Madam, and the two were transferred to the central courtyard to become Muqing's personal maids. They didn't mention Furong and Yongxu, and Muqing didn't ask. They knew perfectly well that their young mistress was not someone to be trifled with; it was best for them to simply be dutiful maids.

As for Fifth Sister, Shu Hong took her pulse and prescribed two formulas, saying that she should recover in a year and it wouldn't affect her ability to have children again. Chen Yu and Qian Shi were also interested after hearing about this. Chen Yu swallowed his pride and went to ask Shu Hong again, who was very approachable and readily agreed. After taking Qian Shi's pulse, Shu Hong left her a prescription for a decoction and a prescription for pills.

Both brothers of the Chen family's second branch had received Shu Hong's kindness and prepared generous gifts to express their gratitude. Shu Hong simply said that treating the sick and saving lives was a doctor's duty, and this was nothing to boast about. He picked out two rare handwritten copies of medical books from the previous dynasty and returned the rest.

From then on, in addition to gossiping about Young Master Ma's good looks and talent, the maids also began to spread the story of the young miracle doctor from Fenglan Courtyard. They praised him for his miraculous healing skills, his outstanding virtue, and his dashing demeanor, using countless words of praise!

When Mu Qing heard the gossip brought back by the two nosy maids, Yun Cui and Dan Zhi, and watched them excitedly talking about how they had seen Doctor Shu that day, black lines appeared on Mu Qing's forehead. "That stinky fox is doing pretty well. She's become an idol so quickly!"

However, Fox's days as an idol were short-lived. A messenger arrived from the capital, informing him that he and Little Ma had to return to the capital immediately.

...

At the main gate of the Chen residence, the two patriarchs of the Chen family gathered with their children and grandchildren to bid farewell to Ma Mingyuan and Shu Hong.

Master Chen Qizheng cupped his hands and said, "Young Master Ma is in a hurry to return to the capital. Please take care on your journey! I have had some small gifts prepared and loaded into the carriage. Please convey my family's regards to the elder and your father."

Ma Mingyuan hurriedly returned the greeting, "No, no, if it weren't for the Chen family's great help, I wouldn't have been able to find Shu Hong in such a short time. I should be the one thanking them! In the future, when all the elders and brothers come to the capital, I will definitely brew tea and prepare wine to welcome them with open arms!"

"Thank you for your kindness, young master! It's getting late, you two should get in the carriage quickly!"

Ma Mingyuan and Shu Hong bid farewell to the Chen family, then turned and climbed onto the carriage shaft and entered the carriage. The curtain was just lowered when the carriage slowly started moving...

The autumn air is crisp and clear, a gentle breeze is blowing, and the willow branches along the roadside sway lightly, as if waving to welcome and see off passersby.

“Jiangnan is beautiful. It’s almost Mid-Autumn Festival, and the greenery is still there. It must be getting cool in Beijing by now. No wonder you came here. What a wonderful place! I don’t know when I’ll be able to come back again after this trip…” Ma Mingyuan looked at the scenery outside the car window and turned to look at Shu Hong, who was resting with her eyes closed across from him.

"I came when I wanted to!"

Shu Hong opened his eyes and looked out the window, saying, "How about you have your old man hire some craftsmen to build you a garden in the style of Jiangnan, and dig a small West Lake in the backyard, just to console you? When I go to Tokyo again, I can bother you for a couple of days, hehe!"

“Since you’re going, why are you leaving? Your medical skills are excellent; why not open a clinic in the capital and settle down? Besides, I can look after you in the capital, which is much better than you wandering around! I learned a bit about your situation during my trip to Sichuan. If you want to deal with the Shu family, you have me, Father, and the old man…”

"Deal with the Shu family? When will this cycle of revenge end! The one who deserved to die is already dead, why should I drag the entire Shu family down with me? Besides, if the Shu family falls, my mother and sister won't survive either. I have no interest in those power struggles and inheritance battles within the mansion, why should I bother with them!"

Shu Hong appeared calm and composed, while Ma Mingyuan felt he had been too attached to things. He laughed and said, "It seems I was being too attached. Brother Shu, you have such a magnanimous spirit! Since you can let go of the Shu family, why can't you let go of him?"

Shu Hong shrugged, not answering Shu Hong directly: "Back then, when my mother and sister were seriously ill, he secretly sent someone over, but unfortunately, they were too late! I was young and hot-blooded then, and I always resented him for not helping them and for being cold-blooded and heartless. But when I grew up, I understood that when you're in the court, you can't control your own destiny. After following my master for so many years, I've seen so much of the fickleness of human relationships and the joys and sorrows of life, so what is there that I can't let go of?"

"Then why did you hide from me when you knew I was looking for you? And why are you only telling me this now?" Ma Mingyuan straightened up, somewhat surprised by Shu Hong's answer.

Shu Hong curled his lip and grinned like a scoundrel: "I—want—to—do—it's none of your business!"

"You—" Ma Mingyuan gritted his teeth, pointed at Shu Hong, and said, "You little rascal, you've really gone too far with this game of hide-and-seek!"

“You’ve let it go, but so many years of resentment can’t just dissipate like that. You need to find a chance to vent it. Just think of it as taking the blame for him!”

Shu Hong stretched, ignoring Ma Mingyuan's resentful expression, and continued, "Speaking of practicing medicine, actually, traveling the world as a barefoot doctor would save far more people than treating patients in one place. I don't want to serve people, and treating the rich depends on my mood. If I were to buy property in the bustling capital, perhaps I would open a restaurant and collect all the fine wines in the world... Haha! When I'm free, I can go out and practice medicine, and when I'm tired, I can come back to be served good wine and food. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"You're probably here to freeload and get revenge for being tricked by me this time! Fine, I'll take the loss to the end. You want the restaurant? Here you go! But let's make a deal. If you agree to three things, I'll also gather the finest wines in the world to congratulate you on your opening. How about that?"

Ma Mingyuan raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at Shu Hong: "I've laid a big bait, let's see if you won't take it."

Upon hearing this, Shu Hong was initially surprised, then narrowed his eyes to slits. He looked back at Ma Mingyuan and shook his head, saying, "As expected of a spoiled brat, he'll do anything to lose money! I reckon those three things of yours won't be easy to handle. I'm not going to take your bait! It's not a pleasant experience to be caught by you... I've been unlucky once, and I don't want to be unlucky a second time!"

Ma Mingyuan waved his hand and replied, "No! It's too early to draw conclusions without even hearing the full story."

"Then tell me, I'm all ears!" Shu Hong pretended to be nonchalant, turning her head to look outside again, but her ears were stretched out, listening quietly to Ma Mingyuan's words.

"First of all, since you are the doctor I invited back to Beijing this time, you cannot leave without saying goodbye after treating the patients."

"Hmm, this isn't difficult!" Shu Hong nodded and gestured for him to continue.

Seeing that he agreed, Ma Mingyuan continued unhurriedly, "Secondly, I will be the owner of the restaurant, and you will be the shareholder. From choosing the location to opening and doing business, you will be in charge of everything, and I will assist you from the side. Once the business is on track, if you want to travel, I can manage it for you. But there is one thing: you must come back to the capital once a year, and the shopkeeper must know where you go when you travel, so that there will be a place to send messages in case something happens."

Shu Hong tapped lightly on the side window, listening and thinking at the same time. After a moment of silence, she replied, "That request is reasonable, I accept it! What's the third one?"

"The last one..."

Before Ma Mingyuan could finish speaking, he heard voices coming from afar outside the car: "Brother Ma, Brother Shu, slow down!"

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Chapter 41 Qing'er's Thank-You Gift (Bonus Chapter on the 24th)