Chapter 13 Even arguments involving superficial relationships are like cooking a small fish – you have to be careful with the heat…
Shen Miao cried louder and louder, but her speech was not affected in the slightest. She recounted one injustice and mistreatment that Ji Ge'er and Xiang Jie'er had suffered at Uncle Shen's house: for three years, the two of them had not had a new set of clothes made; they were ordered around by their aunt like servants to fetch water and chop firewood; Ji Ge'er was no longer supported to study; the two children were driven away naked; and they almost fell ill and starved in the ruins...
Shen Miao's account was absolutely accurate, and she had wronged Uncle Shen. As a result, Ji Ge'er and Xiang Jie'er were both moved by her painful and sorrowful cries. The past three years, during which they had lost their parents and elder sister, and had to live at the mercy of their aunt, seemed to flow back to their memories.
Ji Ge'er held back his tears for a long time, but they finally fell silently.
Xiang Jie'er immediately looked up and burst into tears.
So Shen Miao simply let go of Uncle Shen's arm and embraced the two of them. This pitiful scene drew sympathy from the onlookers, and some even chimed in, "Look at this uncle, all dressed up and looking so wealthy, while his own dear nephew and niece are dressed so shabbily! Tsk tsk..."
The neighbors living next door whispered among themselves, saying, "No wonder I hadn't seen the two Shen kids for days. Turns out they were kicked out. How pitiful!"
Uncle Shen's face had turned a deep purplish-red. He was panicked and didn't even dare to look at the disdainful gazes of the neighbors watching. He could only groan and groan as he went forward to help Chen Miao and her two siblings, insisting on pushing them into the back room: "Let's go back and talk, let's go back and talk..."
At this moment, the half-rolled curtain between the back courtyard and the front shop was suddenly lifted:
“My niece, you’re mistaken. We’re all family, how can we not have arguments and misunderstandings? It’s perfectly normal for pots and pans to clash, or for teeth to clash against tongues! My niece is still young, why make such a fuss!”
At this moment, a similarly plump and burly woman wearing an apron strode out. She was the original owner's aunt, Ding. She had a fair, round face and a pair of sharp, phoenix-shaped eyes. In her youth, she probably had some beauty, but due to her weight gain, her eyes and brows no longer showed any beauty, only shrewdness and mercenary nature.
With just a few words, she exposed Shen Miao's elaborate scheme and even turned the tables on him:
“My dear niece, you are not in Bianjing, so you don’t know the details.” She pointed to Ji Ge’er and Xiang Jie’er, and said with great distress, “These two children are unruly and difficult to discipline! If he hadn’t beaten his own brothers and classmates at the teacher’s house, how could the teacher have ordered him to drop out of school? It’s not that we didn’t want him to study, it’s that he has a violent temper and the teacher wouldn’t accept him! As his aunt, I’m already at a disadvantage in disciplining my nephews, I can’t be too lenient or too harsh. You’ve never raised children, so you naturally don’t know how difficult it is!”
Madam Ding was a capable woman. As she spoke, tears streamed down her face as she sobbed and embraced Shen Miao. "My niece, please don't misunderstand your uncle and aunt. We were only trying to help Ji-ge! If we don't discipline him, he'll not just beat people, he'll kill them! Who knew that after I said a few words to him in anger, he turned on me and took Xiang-jie away too! Alas... Your uncle and I have been searching day and night, unable to eat or sleep. Our legs are practically worn out from running around these past two days. Who knew he would run back to your family's runaway shop..."
Ji-ge'er's face turned red with anger, and he shouted, "Auntie, you're twisting the truth!"
Shen Miao pressed him down with one hand, exchanged a cold glance with Ding Shi, wiped away her tears, and said in surprise, "So there was another reason? I didn't know! It seems I misunderstood my uncle and aunt."
She straightened up, presented the bag of pears from Ji-ge'er's hand, and respectfully bowed to Madam Ding, saying in a loud voice, "I have already asked Ji-ge'er's teacher about the reason. It was Hai-ge'er and his classmates who bullied him because he had no parents to protect him, and said many foul words, which provoked Ji-ge'er to fight back. But it was wrong of him to fight back. I have come here today to apologize on his behalf. These crisp spring pears are the best for nourishing yin, reducing internal heat, and moisturizing the throat and lungs. It is the best for Hai-ge'er to eat and use. It is a small gift but a big token of my appreciation. I hope you will not find it offensive, Aunt."
Her words, spoken with neither arrogance nor servility, were met with nods of approval from the surrounding neighbors. Some even commented as if watching a play, "This niece is quite polite and knows how to respect others."
"Since they are cousins, they not only support each other while studying together, but also lead others to speak rudely. It's not unjust for them to get a beating!"
"I heard that Shen Da's brother, Shen Er, has been dead for only three years. The mourning period has just ended and he's already mocking people for having no parents. That's just stabbing people in the heart. If I were him, as his son, I would definitely tear that person's mouth apart!"
"Well done! You're a filial son!"
These words, reaching the ears of Uncle Shen and Madam Ding, felt like a slap in the face, making their skin burn with shame. And these were facts; the private tutor had been brought up, leaving them with no way to refute them.
Only Ji-ge'er, filled with shame and indignation, was particularly surprised by Shen Miao's words: How did my sister know about this inside story? She had never been to the private tutor's place!
Shen Miao was obviously just making things up based on guesswork.
In fact, she had already guessed it—she only needed to make a slight deduction based on Ji Ge'er's personality to know. Although they had only spent two days together, Shen Miao had her own tricks for judging people. What could possibly provoke such a precocious and independent child to take action?
I only get sarcastic when it comes to this.
The pears from Shenmiao were meant for this moment. She didn't come empty-handed; she had prepared a gift in advance. Although it wasn't anything valuable, it could clear her of any suspicion that she was deliberately causing trouble or disrespecting her elders.
It's all because of Ding's words that she threw mud at Ji Ge'er. Ji Ge'er will be studying in the future, and he can't bear such a reputation.
Arguing is like cooking a small fish; you have to be careful with the heat.
Making a strong first impression is like stir-frying ingredients over a high flame; then persuading with reason is like simmering them over a low flame; and now it's time to move people with emotion and reduce the sauce over a high flame.
After a pause, Shen Miao changed the subject again, her eyes piercing Ding Shi like sharp blades: "What you just said, Aunt, I agree with. I won't shy away from admitting Ji Ge'er's mistakes. But there's one thing: Ji Ge'er is so young, even if he's not very steady, we should be understanding and teach him gently. How could you punish him in such a cruel way? Aunt, do you know that if I hadn't decided to go back to Bianjing to visit them, they would have starved to death in Yangliu East Lane! You said you searched everywhere, why didn't you look for him at home? How far can a child run? A two-quarters-hour journey took him four or five days!"
As she spoke, Shen Miao burst into tears again and turned to look at her silent Uncle Shen: "Uncle, you are a scholar. How could you not understand the principle of respecting the elderly as you would your own parents, and caring for the young as you would your own children? Besides, we are not just other people's 'young children,' we are your own nephews and nieces! Blood is thicker than water. If Ji-ge'er is doing well, won't Hai-ge'er have another helper in the future? You are confused!"
Do you remember? When Grandpa was still alive, when Ji-ge and I came to the outer city to pay New Year's respects, you even carried Ji-ge on your back to set off firecrackers… Our family wasn't those poor relatives who never visited and only came to beg for money. My father was your own brother! My poor parents were trampled by that powerful man's horse, their ribs caved in. My mother died on the spot, and my father coughed up blood, barely clinging to life, but he held on until his older brother came to see him… Now that Grandpa and Grandma are gone, weren't my uncle and father also brothers who depended on each other for survival? Back then, you promised to take care of Ji-ge and Xiang-jie before my father could close his eyes in peace. Have you forgotten all that?”
The bond of brotherhood cannot be forgotten, though it may be forgotten when blinded by greed. But once it is brought up, the guilt and sorrow are amplified. Uncle Shen recalled the look of relief in his younger brother's eyes as he saw him before he died, his mouth full of blood, and how he only managed to whisper, "Brother..." before taking his last breath.
He couldn't help but raise his arm to wipe his eyes, and then let out a long sigh.
"It's my uncle's fault for letting you down..."
With that in mind, Shen Miao has already won this round.
She came here not only to break off all pretenses and make her stance clear, but also to clear Ji Ge'er's name. In the Song Dynasty, the selection of officials and the imperial examinations placed great emphasis on character and "fame," so she could neither throw a tantrum nor bully the superiors, otherwise she would suffer the consequences in the future. After much thought, she could only resort to moral blackmail.
Her tears gradually subsided, and her expression immediately changed. She then said to Madam Ding, "Auntie is right. We're all family. It's common for us to have disagreements. Once we've talked things out, everything will be fine. Come on, let's go back to the inner room and catch up."
As she spoke, she smiled and bowed to the onlookers: "I've been married far away and haven't seen my uncle and aunt for so long. I couldn't help myself at first, so please excuse me. It's all a family matter, please disperse..."
After Shen Miao asked the people outside to leave, Uncle Shen breathed a sigh of relief and slumped into his recliner.
Ding didn't know what else to say. Even her deceased brother-in-law had been brought up; the dead are the greatest menace, and further words would only put her at a disadvantage. But she couldn't help but glance at Chen Miao from head to toe, her suspicions growing with each look.
What magic potion did this woman take in Jinling? Now she's not only sharp-witted and quick-witted, but her ability to change her expression is as swift as turning the pages of a book. She's truly changed a lot in just three years.
With a cold snort, Madam Ding, her waist so slender it was almost invisible, entered the inner hall first.
Uncle Shen hesitated for a while before inviting Shen Miao in, "Come in and sit down."
"Hey." Shen Miao glanced at Uncle Shen's still red eyes, then led the reluctant Ji Ge'er and Xiang Jie'er, who was sobbing as she thought of her parents, inside.
The back hall of Uncle Shen's house was much more spacious than the Shen family shop. It was a neat courtyard house with three main rooms, four side rooms, and two rear rooms, a total of nine rooms enclosing a central courtyard. The courtyard was also elegantly decorated. A whole row of terrazzo tables lined the corridor, filled with all sorts of bonsai trees—pine, bamboo, plum, chrysanthemum, orchid—and a set of bamboo square table and chairs in the center. There was even a well in the corner. Shen Miao peeked in and saw a few small cucumbers growing inside. Uncle Shen really lived a comfortable life.
The group sat down at the table and chairs in turn. Shen Miao hugged Xiang Jie'er, who was still trembling uncontrollably after crying, and took out a handkerchief to wipe her face. Ji Ge'er refused to sit down and stood behind Shen Miao with a stiff face.
After sitting down, Shen Miao did not speak first. Her silence made Uncle Shen and Madam Ding uneasy. In the end, Madam Ding crossed her arms and spoke coldly: "My niece has come all this way. Is she going to take these two children back to Jinling? If you want to take them, then just take them! I've been taking care of them for three years and I've ended up being disliked by everyone. If I discipline them too strictly, you're unhappy. If I discipline them too loosely, you'll cause trouble."
Shen Miao shook her head: "My elder sister is like a mother. As Aunt said, I will take Ji Ge'er and Xiang Jie'er away and raise them myself. However, I will not return to Jinling. I will stay in Bianjing and want to reopen the soup noodle shop left by my father."
Ding frowned and hit the nail on the head: "You told your mother-in-law to divorce you?"
Shen Miao was taken aback. Although her aunt was heartless and mean-spirited, she was sharp-witted and always guessed things accurately.
Seeing that Shen Miao didn't answer, Ding curled her lip in disdain: "Back when the Rong family came to propose marriage, I looked down on Rong's mother. What a piece of trash! All she ever talked about was 'my son's success,' even though she was just a student! She acted like she'd pass the imperial examinations tomorrow! And Rong's son, all slicked-back hair and powdered face, how could you possibly like him! And that whole family was so poor! I couldn't stand them, but your parents were like they were under a spell, betting on Rong's son's meteoric rise! Now look what's happened, they've pushed their own daughter into a fire pit. If you ask me, all those scholars and officials are useless. Most scholars are heartless men, what good are they…"
Uncle Shen coughed in dissatisfaction, but Madam Ding ignored him and snorted instead: "I arranged all four of my daughters' marriages! Your second sister married the son of a silk shop owner, your third sister married a military family member, and your fourth sister married the neighbor's son... I only care about substance and money. No matter how eloquently you talk, it's not as good as a son-in-law who is honest and ambitious, or whose in-laws are kind and gentle!"
"Very clear-headed!" Shen Miao's opinion of Ding Shi changed somewhat. However, her mouth really knows how to offend people; if she were the original owner of this body, she would probably be vomiting right now.
“I didn’t understand what you were saying before, Aunt, but now that I’ve suffered, I understand.” Shen Miao put on a melancholy look, which immediately dispelled Ding’s suspicion that she had changed too much.
"Why did they dare to divorce you? You should write back, no matter what..." Ding Shi felt a little embarrassed as she thought about how she had treated Ji Ge'er and Xiang Jie'er, but she still pursed her lips, "What's wrong with your uncle going to Jinling to support you?"
Ji-ge rolled his eyes. His aunt was always like this, all talk and no action. If she really wrote back, she probably wouldn't set off for three months.
Shen Miao smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Aunt. I've really had enough of that family. My family has just suffered a disaster, so I wanted to come back and support the household, at least until Ji Ge'er comes of age."
At this point, as if the truth had been revealed, Madam Ding understood and lifted her eyelids: "So why have you come here now?"
Seeing that they had gotten to the point, Shen Miao didn't waste any time. She glanced at Ding Shi and then at Uncle Shen, explaining her true purpose: "Now that my niece is back, Uncle and Aunt will no longer need to worry about Ji Ge'er and Xiang Jie'er. Shouldn't Aunt return our land deeds and house deeds to Ji Ge'er?"
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