Storytelling

Back at Xuesong Hall, Agui sincerely apologized to Wei Qiao. Wei Qiao punished Agui by making him copy a copy of the Analects, and that was the end of it. Agui could read but didn't like writing, so making him copy a book was more painful than Wei Qiao scolding him. But when he looked up and saw Wei Qiao's piercing gaze, he had no choice but to obediently take the Analects back and copy it.

After returning from the ancestral hall, Wei Changsong sat in Manxin Courtyard for a short while, drank a few sips of tea, and then got up and went to Tingyu Pavilion. In Tingyu Pavilion lived a newly arrived concubine, Meng, who was sixteen years old and in the prime of her youth.

That night, the two made love passionately. Afterwards, Aunt Meng nestled in Wei Changsong's arms, playfully asking him to buy her a jade bracelet. Wei Changsong responded verbally, but his mind drifted to Xichun's face in the ancestral hall during the day. A delicate and beautiful face, a curvaceous figure, and most remarkably, Xichun was a virgin. Wei Changsong's mind wandered. He wrapped his arms around Aunt Meng's waist, imagining her as Xichun, and unconsciously tightened his grip.

Aunt Meng felt a sharp pain in her waist from the tight grip, and slapped Wei Changsong's hand, saying, "Master, you're hurting me."

Wei Chang loosened his grip and looked at Aunt Meng's youthful face. "Meng Liu, do you think a young and beautiful girl like you would fall for an old man like me who is almost fifty?"

Aunt Meng chuckled, "Who would call themselves an old geezer? Master is dashing, handsome, and exceptionally brave. In my eyes, he is the best man in the world."

Hearing Aunt Meng's compliments, Wei Changsong was overjoyed and immediately agreed to buy her the jade bracelet she wanted.

On the afternoon of August 13th, just as Xichun was about to take a nap, Wei Changsong's servant came to Qingwu Garden to find her under the scorching sun.

"Young mistress, the master said that the Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching and he wants you to go to his place. He wants to give you a few gifts. He wants you to go there now, as the master is waiting for you in his study."

Xi Chun found it very strange. Wei Changsong hadn't spoken to her alone since she married into the Wei family, so why was he suddenly giving her gifts? There was no precedent for this last Mid-Autumn Festival either. In Xi Chun's opinion, Wei Changsong was a decent elder, even though they hadn't spent much time together at the Wei residence. However, when Wei Changsong and Wei Kang were down on their luck in Fuping County, Wei Changsong often kept her company.

Thinking of this, Xichun followed the servant to Wei Changsong's study with a somewhat joyful heart.

The front yard is right next to Zhang Yunyao's Manxin Courtyard. On her way there, Xichun saw Granny Wang at the other end of the corridor and nodded to her as a greeting.

Upon entering Wei Changsong's study, she saw several silk gift boxes on his huanghuali wood desk. With a smile, she respectfully bowed to him and said, "Daughter-in-law greets father-in-law."

"Oh my, Xichun is here. Come and see the gift I prepared for you." Wei Changsong had been waiting for Xichun's arrival ever since he called the servant out. He had originally wanted to call Xichun over after spending the night at Aunt Meng's place, but several important official duties suddenly came up, keeping him busy every day. Only after finishing these last two days did he finally have time to see Xichun.

Xi Chun walked to the desk and stopped, her gaze naturally falling on Wei Changsong. When Wei Changsong saw Xi Chun's sun-kissed, rosy face, he felt it was even more captivating than when he saw her at the ancestral hall that day. His heart began to itch, and his hands began to itch as well.

Xi Chun noticed that Wei Changsong's gaze was somewhat strange, so she turned her face away and looked at a pot of orchids placed by the window.

Wei Changsong got up and opened the gift boxes. Inside the four gift boxes were two bracelets, a pair of earrings, and a gold hairpin.

"Xichun, come and see if you like them. These are all things I bought at Qiongyu Pavilion today. They are all the most fashionable styles in the capital." As he spoke, he reached out and pulled Xichun's arm.

Xi Chun pulled her hand away from his and walked to the desk, avoiding his body. Seeing that the gift box contained only women's jewelry, Xi Chun felt even more puzzled. Although she wasn't very worldly-wise, it was still somewhat inappropriate for her father-in-law to give his daughter-in-law jewelry.

“Father-in-law, these pieces of jewelry are too valuable. Your daughter-in-law cannot accept them,” Xichun said, waving her hand in refusal.

Wei Changsong glanced at Xichun's hair, which was so clean that there wasn't a single hairpin. He immediately picked up the gold hairpin from the gift box and was about to insert it into Xichun's hair.

Seeing him approach, Xichun quickly dodged away. She felt that Wei Changsong, whom she had met today, was a complete stranger, unlike the Uncle Wei she knew, but more like a lecherous man harassing women on the street. Xichun turned to run towards the gate, but found that it seemed to be bolted from the outside, and she couldn't open it no matter how hard she tried.

Seeing that Xichun had guessed his intentions, Wei Changsong stopped pretending and walked to Xichun's side to hug her. Xichun pushed him away with all her might, saying, "Father-in-law, please don't do this. Let me out."

As Xichun looked at Wei Changsong approaching, she felt only disgust and fear. She wanted to leave this place, she wanted to leave this place!

Seeing Xi Chun's frightened expression, Wei Changsong felt even more smug. He let Xi Chun rattle the door bolt loudly; this was the front yard, his territory, and no one would dare disobey him. He threatened with a smile, "I had the door closed. It will only be opened when I ask. Today, you'll do as I wish."

Hearing her words, Xichun shook the door bolt even harder. Just when she thought she couldn't escape, suddenly, the door was opened from the outside, and Xichun fell into someone's arms. Xichun looked up and saw that it was Granny Wang. Tears instantly streamed down her face. She wanted to thank her, but her throat was choked, and she couldn't say a word, only weeping.

Wei Changsong had planned to accomplish something great today, but he was interrupted by Zhang Yunyao. When he saw Zhang Yunyao, who was furious, and a group of maids and servants from Manxin Courtyard outside the study, Wei Changsong immediately became dejected.

Zhang Yunyao glared at Wei Changsong resentfully, then instructed Wang Mama, who was comforting Xichun, "Wang Mama, take the eldest young mistress back to Qingwu Garden."

Xi Chun looked at Zhang Yunyao gratefully. If her mother-in-law hadn't arrived in time, she really wouldn't know what to do today.

"Let's go, young mistress, this old servant will accompany you back." Granny Wang supported Xichun's arm and helped her, who was still trembling, back to Qingwu Garden.

After Xichun left, Zhang Yunyao strolled into the study. Seeing the gold hairpin on the floor and the jewelry on the desk, she waved for the maids to take it all back to their courtyard. She walked behind Wei Changsong and said coldly, "I don't care if you, Master, are fond of women. You can take as many concubines as you want in the manor, but not Xichun. She's Kang'er's wife. Master had better give up on that idea sooner rather than later, lest I catch you doing it again."

Knowing he was in the wrong, Wei Changsong didn't utter a word in rebuttal. After Zhang Yunyao had walked a few steps out of the study, he suddenly stepped forward and swept everything on the desk to the ground with his sleeve, instantly shattering the inkstone and brush holder into several pieces. Hearing the noise from the corridor, Zhang Yunyao stopped, turned her head, and looked coldly and venomously in the direction of the study. After a moment, she continued walking towards Manxin Courtyard.

Xi Chun was still crying when she returned to Qingwu Garden. After Wang Mama saw her off, she comforted her for a few words and then turned back to Manxin Courtyard. Xi Chun didn't care about the tears and sweat on her head. She sat on the bed with her hands around her knees and her eyes numb. The hideous face of Wei Changsong when he pounced on her kept replaying in her mind.

Xichun looked up at the pair of red wedding shoes on top of the wardrobe. She missed her brother Weikang so much. If only he were still alive, if only her grandfather were still alive too.

Xi Chun was lost in her thoughts when she suddenly felt a wet, itchy sensation on the back of her right hand. She looked down and saw that the ink had somehow jumped onto her bed and was now licking the back of her hand with its little tongue.

"Ink, are you trying to comfort me?"

Ink looked up at it, its large amber eyes revealing obvious worry. "Meow."

Ink let out two barks and jumped into Xichun's arms, nudging Xichun's hands with its black head. Xichun stroked Ink's forehead, and a faint smile finally appeared on her face.

Zhang Yunyao gave all the servants in Manxin Courtyard a strict order: they were not allowed to discuss what had happened in the study that day. Wei Changsong, having been rebuffed, also demanded that the servants in the front courtyard keep quiet, or he would sell them off. So, several days passed, and the Wei residence remained quiet, just as usual.

Except for going out to the kitchen to get meals, Xichun stayed in Qingwu Garden and never went out.

That day, after returning from paying respects to Wei Qiao at the ancestral hall, Zhang Yunyao ate grapes and thought back to what had happened in the study. Wei Changsong had recently resumed his favoritism towards Concubine Liu and had also taken in a beautiful concubine; he probably wouldn't bother with Xichun anymore. But Xichun, a young widow, what if she fell in love and cuckolded Kang'er? Wouldn't Kang'er be ridiculed? Thinking of this, Zhang Yunyao had a new idea.

"Granny Wang, the eldest young mistress was frightened last time, so she must be a little scared. When you have time, go to Qingwu Garden more often and tell her stories. It would be best to tell stories about widows who are praised for their chastity and widows who are killed for having affairs."

Granny Wang was peeling torreya nuts for Zhang Yunyao when she heard this, and immediately nodded, "Yes, this servant will go there tomorrow."

The next morning, just as Xichun finished breakfast and was hanging clothes to dry in the courtyard, Granny Wang walked into the gate of Qingwu Garden.

"Greetings to the young mistress."

Xi Chun was startled by the sudden voice. She turned around and saw that it was Granny Wang. She smiled and said, "What are you doing here, Granny Wang?"

Granny Wang went over to help Xichun pick up the empty wooden basin. "Madam was worried that the eldest young mistress was too lonely in Qingwu Garden, so she specially sent me to keep her company and chat with her."

Xi Chun didn't understand Zhang Yunyao's intentions. It wasn't the first time she had lived alone in Qingwu Garden. Her mother-in-law had never come to ask if she was lonely before. Thinking of how Wang Mama and her mother-in-law had rescued her in time in the study last time, she still smiled and invited Wang Mama into the main room.

"Wang Mama, have some tea." Xichun poured Wang Mama a cup of mint tea. She didn't have any tea leaves. In the autumn, she could collect some osmanthus flowers, but in the summer, she could only drink plain water. Fortunately, Aunt Liu gave her a few mint plants, so she could have a change of pace.

Wang Mama looked at the slightly greenish tea and took a sip. "Young Mistress, is this mint tea?"

"Yes." Xichun nodded with a smile.

"Young mistress has been living in the manor for over a year now. I wonder if she's getting used to life here?"

Xi Chun thought for a moment, took a sip of mint tea, and said, "It's alright."

The Wei family mansion was not the home where she grew up, and many of the rules were different. Xichun kept trying to convince herself to adapt.

Granny Wang glanced around and noticed that Xichun's room was completely bare, resembling a temporary lodging for guests. Her gaze towards Xichun held a hint of pity. Granny Wang then inquired about several customs of Fuping Town and shared a few harmless anecdotes with Xichun. She then packaged the stories of virtuous women being praised and widows suffering terrible fates for adultery into tales, telling them to Xichun one by one.

Granny Wang loved listening to storytelling, and she told these stories just as well as a storyteller. Xichun listened with rapt attention. A chaste woman erected a memorial arch, a widow caught having an affair was drowned in a pig cage, beaten to death in public, burned to death... After one story of a chaste and virtuous woman, Granny Wang would tell three or four stories of widows who met tragic ends. She told these stories for half a month, until Xichun completely identified with the image of the chaste and virtuous women in the stories.

"Granny Wang, Cuiyun is so wrong. Although her husband is dead, he treated her very well and left her a large sum of money. She could have lived a good life. But she had an affair with her husband's cousin, and when they were discovered, she was beheaded by her husband's clansmen. Alas, how pitiful."

Xi Chun, who was illiterate and had little worldly experience, took Wang Mama's stories as gospel. Almost every afternoon when Wang Mama told stories, she would go to the ancestral hall to offer incense to Wei Kang. Sometimes Wang Mama would follow her and find Xi Chun muttering promises that she would remain chaste for Wei Kang for the rest of her life and would never betray him.

Seeing that the time was right, Granny Wang went back to report to Zhang Yunyao. Zhang Yunyao nodded in satisfaction, rewarded Granny Wang with a pair of gold earrings, and ended her errand.

Granny Wang stopped going to Qingwu Garden, but Xichun began having nightmares. In her dreams, her gentle and kind brother Weikang caught her having an affair and raised a large knife to behead her. Xichun woke up with a start, carrying a lantern, and went to the ancestral hall at night for the first time.